New scholarship opportunity created for Beatrice, Holdrege students

Two Nebraska natives who want to help students from the Beatrice and Holdrege areas reach their academic goals have established an endowed scholarship for students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Larry and Constance "Connie" Schuster, who attended UNL, recently established the Larry A. and Constance J. Schuster Scholarship Fund with a gift commitment of $500,000 to the University of Nebraska Foundation. The scholarship will become available starting in the 2008-2009 school year.

"We are very interested in helping students reach their goals and dreams," Connie Schuster said. For her first year of school, Connie Schuster received a University of Nebraska Regents Scholarship, and she said she still remembers how much that support meant to her.

"If we can provide some assistance and make a difference for someone else, we'd be proud to say we helped," she said.

Larry Schuster graduated from Beatrice High School in 1958, and Connie Schuster graduated from Holdrege High School in 1959 before the couple met at the University of Nebraska. They currently live in Bonita Springs, Fla., and Aspen, Colo.

The Schusters said they are grateful for their education and experiences at the university, which is why they decided to create the fund.

"We wanted to give back to the university and help some students from these two high schools be able to go to the university as well," Larry Schuster said. "It is also our way to give back to the communities where we started our education."

Juan N. Franco, UNL vice chancellor for student affairs, said he was pleased the scholarship is for students with financial need.

"I am delighted to hear of the generosity shown by Larry and Connie Schuster in establishing this scholarship," Franco said. "An increasing number of students are having difficulty paying for college. This scholarship will help deserving students achieve their educational goals."

Eligible students may be enrolled in any college at UNL, but preference is given to students who demonstrate financial need. Scholarship awards will be made by the UNL Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid and all students admitted to UNL from these areas will be considered for the scholarship without an additional application.

Annual interest from the scholarship endowment will be used to award one scholarship each year, but as the fund grows, it will allow more scholarships to become available.

While attending the university, Larry Schuster studied engineering and received a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1963. Connie Schuster studied pre-medicine and became a medical technologist. She worked for Dr. Walter Weaver of Lincoln for eight years, as well as with other doctors in Omaha and Wisconsin.

After graduation, Larry Schuster was employed by The Trane Co. In 1970, he started his own company, Westside Mechanical Inc., in Aurora, Ill. The company, which specialized in commercial heating and air conditioning installations in the Chicago market, grew into one of the major mechanical contracting firms in the area.

He was also the majority owner of Central Medical Co., a medical supply company operating in 14 states, and Cullen Home Care Co., a home supply company for medical products that operated in four states. He served 11 years on the board of directors for the Old Second National Bank of Aurora, Ill., and on the board of trustees for the Copley Memorial Hospital Foundation of Aurora.

The University of Nebraska Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation that has raised private gifts to support the University of Nebraska for 71 years. Last year, almost $90 million was provided for students, faculty, academic programs, research, and for campus and building improvements. More information is available at www.nufoundation.org.

CONTACT: Robb Crouch, Director of Public Relations, NU Foundation, (402) 458-1142