Personal Finance Author Starts Scholarship Fund in Honor of a VT Alumnus

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Columbus, OH (PRWEB) May 1, 2007 -- A local author has donated $5,000 to begin a "living endowment" at Franklin University, and asks others to give.

The scholarship fund was started in memory of Virginia Tech alumnus Dave Gordon. Jon Hanson author of Good Debt, Bad Debt (Penguin 2005) is a Franklin MBA student that would like to do two things:

1. Honor his friend's memory and;
2. Improve graduate scholarship possibilities for the self-employed, underemployed, workers at nonprofits, or those whose companies don't offer tuition reimbursement.

A graduate degree is becoming the norm for those seeking to advance their careers. Lifelong learning is replacing lifelong employment at one company.

Hanson finished his undergraduate degree 13 years ago mostly through testing and assessment at USNY. Says Hanson, "I sympathize with those needing graduate degrees that are still paying for their undergraduate degree; my undergrad cost me less than $1,200." "We have all heard of DINKS (dual income, no kids) now we have the phenomenon of BASICS (Bachelor of Arts, Still in Customer Service)." Many upper level jobs require graduate level skills and experience. Hanson says, "I'd like to see the Dave Gordon Leadership Fund grow to $340,000 and fund a full graduate scholarship each year to an MBA-mommy or deserving graduate-prospect."

Hanson said the news of the Virginia Tech shootings stirred a lot of emotions in him. He has a 12-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son now considering colleges. Hanson asks what if your children were involved? "I spent last week trying to set up a fund in memory of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings; I planned to create a fund at ScholarshipAmerica.org for the VT slain. Now that Virginia Tech (vt.edu) has a similar fund set up to memorialize the victims--I decided to do something closer to home to honor my favorite Hokie."

Goal: Create a Living Memorial

Beginning with the donation from their fund at The Columbus Foundation, Hanson and his wife, Nita, a Capital University Law Student, want to create a living endowment at Franklin University.

Hanson understands one scholarship can't help everyone but, the ones we can help can make a difference. Mark Victor Hansen tells the story of a fellow on the beach walking along throwing starfish back into the ocean that were trapped on the sand when tide rolled out. A passerby says to him, "Mister why are you bothering to throw back the Starfish, there are thousands; you can't possibly make a difference! The man replies as he tosses another one into the ocean, it makes a difference to that one." Says Hanson, "With a scholarship endowment we are able to create a living memorial; your donations will still be helping students 100 years from now. You are not buying a brick but a capital share in someone's future."

Dave Gordon (48) of Pickerington, Ohio an engineer for American Electric Power, died from cancer in December 2006; leaving behind his wife Jackie, and three beautiful daughters. "Dave was an enthusiastic supporter of Virginia Tech, traveling to many of their football games. The VT shootings brought this to the forefront for me," said Hanson. "Dave practiced Servant Leadership and was an inspiration to all that knew him, even during the darkest days of his sickness--we need more people like Dave Gordon."

Hanson is also donating 100 percent of the gross sales price of 1,000 copies of Good Debt, Bad Debt purchased through www.gooddebt.com . If you wish to make a tax deductible contribution please mail a check to Dave Gordon Fund c/o Franklin University, 201 S. Grant Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43215. Hanson can be contacted through his website gooddebt.com.

For more information:
Jon Hanson
614-866-4289

Steven Moore
The Columbus Foundation
1234 E. Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43205 251-4000

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