KATY HAR
Joining a list that includes Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve and former BYU president Rex E. Lee, 38 BYU students from different fields have received either the Edwin S. Hinckley or Abrelia C. Hinckley Scholarship for the 1996-97 school year.
Scholarship recipients for the 1996-97 school year, members of the Hinckley Investment Committee and members of the Hinckley family gathered for a luncheon in the Harman Continuing Education Building Tuesday to discuss the heritage of and responsibility entailed in a Hinckley Scholarship.
The Hinckley Scholarship is the most prestigious private scholarship that BYU offers, said Steve Hill, private scholarship coordinator. The number of scholarships given each year depends on the availability of funds.
Edwin S. Hinckley, born in 1868, was an educator and administrator at Brigham Young Academy for 21 years. He also took part in making the Y on the mountain and directed the movement to move campus to its present location. The scholarship was established in 1954 by Hinckley's children.
Abrelia C. Hinckley, born in 1892, was the daughter-in-law of Edwin S. Hinckley. She was a member of several public service and business organizations and a strong supporter of education. Her husband, Robert H. Hinckley, established a scholarship in her name in 1976 to honor outstanding female students.
The scholarships, which are given to juniors or seniors, require not only outstanding academic credentials (a grade point average of 3.85 or above), but also require a demonstrated commitment to service, said Sue DeMartini, director of scholarships.
In addressing the group, scholarship recipient Emi Watabe England, a senior from Houston, Texas, majoring in accounting, likened giving a Hinckley scholarship to making an investment.
'Instead of money being invested in a bank or a business, money is being invested in students and their future potential,' England said.
England discussed ways in which Hinckley scholars can provide a return on the investment made in them.
She listed good representation of BYU, upholding high standards, investing in other future Hinckley scholars and service in the church, family, and community and as means of giving back a 'profit.'
'Service is truly a frame of mind and not a carefully calculated project,' England said.
Receiving a Hinckley scholarship is more than getting a stipend: It is becoming associated with the Hinckley family. The annual luncheon is a chance to bring scholarship recipients together with Hinckley family members and others who invest and contribute funds, Hill said.
'It adds more meaning to be able to locate oneself within the legacy,' he said.