EDUCATIONAL TRUST An Appeal From the Chair In January of this year, I assumed the duties of chair of the Board of Trustees of the DFI Educational Trust. I am pleased and honored to undertake this challenge and I thank my predecessors, David Coleman and Dick Short, for their hard work, dedication and accomplishments as chairs and for their many years of service on the Trust board. As a founding member of the Trust, I am proud to have seen the organization’s assets grow from just under $100,000 at the end of 2006, to over $2.3 million at the end of 2014. During this time, the Trust has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to more than 125 students attending universities across the U.S. My deepest thanks go out to all the contributors that have supported the Trust since its inception. However, although our scholarship fund endowments have grown rapidly in recent years, so have the general costs of administering the Trust. The generosity of the DFI Board of Trustees, which allows for sharing of staff and provides other support, has been instrumental in keeping costs down, yet it is still not sufficient to defray the entire cost of administration. I therefore make an appeal to all DFI members to make a personal donation to the Trust. A donation to our General Fund of as little as $50 from each member would pay for a large part of our expenses, freeing up funds for scholarships and other worthwhile programs. “Thank you, again, for your kindness and generosity. I am grateful for the support that this award provides not only for me, but for my family, as well. With this recognition, I find motivation to continue to devote hard work to my academic studies and career pursuits, and hope that one day I may also be able to give back.” Kelly Samara, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Charles J. Berkel Memorial Scholarship 2014 “By awarding me the DFI Educational Trust scholarship, you have lightened my financial burden, which allows me to focus on learning. I hope one day to facilitate education for students, just as you have done for me.” Marina Nakajima, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Charles J. Berkel Memorial Scholarship 2014 “Receiving this generous scholarship … enabled me to pursue a greater depth and breadth of coursework and participate in extracurricular activities. Through these opportunities I have gained valuable leadership experience and developed a diverse skill set that helped me to gain admission into graduate school at UC Berkeley in the geotechnical engineering department.” Nathaniel Wagner, University of California, Berkeley Charles J. Berkel Memorial Scholarship 2009, 2010 and 2011 M. Byrl Williams, P.E., Chair [email protected] Americans are very generous, donating over $300 billion per year to non-profit organizations. Over 70% of these contributions are from individuals. Your donation is therefore very important, no matter its size. You can make your donation online by visiting the Trust’s website at www.dfitrust.org. Also, be sure to review the Trust’s 2014 Annual Report, which was mailed with this issue of Deep Foundations magazine or online at www.dfitrust.org. Thank you for your anticipated support. Trust to Award $120,000 in Scholarships in 2015 The DFI Educational Trust is projected to award $120,000 this year in scholarships to students from all across the country. This figure indicates a 20% increase from last year, and the Trust is confident this trend will continue, allowing more students to turn their educational dreams into reality. Contributions to the Trust help young students discover how rewarding a career in the deep foundations industry can be. As a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, contri- butions to the Trust are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Upcoming Events Annual Golf Outing with ACE Mentor of N.J. Program: August 13, 2015 | Royce Brook Country Club, Hillsborough, N.J. Annual California Golf Outing: October 19, 2015 Castlewood Country Club Pleasanton, Calif. Annual Gala Fundraising Dinner: November 5, 2015 Chart House | Weehawken, N.J. Visit www.dfitrust.org for more details. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JULY/AUG 2015 • 63
