George and Ruby Vandenbusche Memorial Scholarship

The George and Ruby Vandenbusche Memorial Cross Country Scholarship is established to
honor the memory of George Vandenbusche. George Vandenbusche was born in Belgium, spent a good part of his life as a farmer in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and came to Colorado in 1965. For over 10 years he was employed at Western State College as a Maintenance worker before retiring in 1976. He often told his family that the finest ten years of his life were spent in Gunnison, Colorado. George Vandenbusche was a self-educated man and recognized the value of education in the well being of his adopted country, the United States. Ruby Briggs Vandenbusche was born in Wisconsin and raised five children in the Belgian farming community of St. Nicholas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Because of the modest circumstances in which she grew up she did not finish high school. However, she instilled in all of her children the importance of education and of being a good person. Ruby worked as a nurse at the Gunnison hospital from 1965 to 1976. As a night nurse she helped deliver many of the young people of the Gunnison Country. This award is to be conferred to a Western State College Student who has made progress in gaining his or her education.

ELIGIBILITY:
1. Must be a Western State College Junior or Senior.
2. Must be an active member of the Western State College men’s or women’s Cross Country teams.
3. Must demonstrate superior academic performance and maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better.
4. Must exhibit, in the classroom and in the athletic arena, outstanding character and leadership abilities.