OXFORD,
Miss. – University of Mississippi alumnus John “Chip” Crunk, of
Nashville, Tenn., has established the Crunk Family Scholarship
Endowment with a gift of $100,000. The scholarships will be awarded to
UM students from middle Tennessee who are pursuing degrees in business.
Crunk,
who was the first person in his family to attend college, said he was
motivated to create the endowment to help students who might not
otherwise be able to pursue their dreams of an education.
“I
just hope someone gets to go to college on this scholarship that may
not have had the chance,” he said. “In these difficult economic times,
it becomes that much more important for alumni to give back when they
can.”
Crunk, who graduated from UM in 1987, holds a degree in business administration. He also serves on the advisory board of the School of Business Administration.
“I’ve gotten more involved as the years have gone by and it’s been fun,” he said.
Crunk said his gift was also made out of admiration for Chancellor Robert Khayat.
“He has such a passion for the university and that really impressed me,” he said. “After having dinner with him a few times, I knew how committed he was and that made me want to give back.”
Besides supporting the business school, Crunk also contributes to UM’s athletics programs. He and his family, including his two children, return to Oxford often for sporting events.
“Chip Crunk’s generosity is making a difference in the lives of our students and our student athletes every day,” said Debbie Vaughn, assistant vice chancellor for university relations. “We are grateful to the Crunk family for their continued support and are glad they are part of our Ole Miss family.”
Crunk is president and CEO of RJ Young Co., an office equipment and supply company headquartered in Nashville.
For more information on making a gift to the School of Business Administration, visit www.umfountation.com/makeagift .