OU gets grant for emergency needs

The National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation presented a check for $7,000 Sept. 23 to Ottawa University President Kevin C. Eichner. The grant money was allocated from the memorial fund of Joseph J. Sanchez, former president of Saturn Corporation, and is designated for use by OU residential students with emergency needs.

“The foundation has identified an area of need that other grants don’t focus on,” said Eichner.

“Students from all eras of the University’s history could have benefited from such a fund, and I know this gift is going to help someone realize his or her dream of earning an OU education that may otherwise have become impossible due to an unforeseen emergency.”

One accredited private independent college in each of the four regions of the National Automobile Dealers Association received grant monies from the fund. Lifetime OU Trustee Bob Hill, who has a longstanding affiliation with NADA Director for Kansas, Dale Willey, was instrumental in securing OU’s nomination for the grant. Willey is owner of Dale Willey Automotive in Lawrence, and his wife, Jan, attended Ottawa University.

Ottawa University’s financial aid and business offices will collaborate to set up criteria for emergency awards under the grant, and reports to the NADCF will be made following any distribution of funds.