Dick Todd Memorial Arrupe Scholarship

Please talk to your school councilor to apply for this scholarship.

Richard Todd established the Dick Todd Memorial Arrupe Western Scholarship in 2017 in memory of his father, Dick Todd. Dick was a 1959 graduate of Western Colorado University and was a teacher and coach with a great commitment to the development and growth of his students.

Originally from Montrose, CO, Dick graduated from Western with a degree in history and a life passion to teach. History and sports were his favored subjects, he taught history for many years and coached basketball, football, and baseball. Even after transitioning careers, history teacher to insurance agent, Dick continued coaching. He had a passion for having a developmental role in students’ lives.

Like his father before him, Richard is on the Arrupe Jesuit High School Board. This high school is near and dear to the Todd family’s hearts. Arrupe Jesuit High School is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory school sponsored by the Jesuits of the USA Central and Southern Province. Arrupe Jesuit serves economically disadvantaged students from Denver’s inner-city neighborhoods. By enhancing the human, intellectual, and spiritual capacities of their students through a rigorous, innovative, and affordable college preparatory education. I’ve been on a lot of boards, said Richard, reflecting on his role as a board member, and Arrupe is one of the most rewarding board responsibilities I’ve ever held. I’ve never seen such tremendous results from a school.

Our goal is to empower graduates who will continue their education and return as leaders in their communities. Arrupe Jesuit High School

Students at Arrupe Jesuit High School attend school 4 days a week and work 1 day out of the week. Employers pay part of their tuition to go to Arrupe. In many cases, these students are the first to graduate from high school in their family and most years, 100 % of the graduating seniors go to college. Dicks wife and Richards mother, Martha Todd, did not go to college. The education of her children was incredibly important to her and she is very proud that all of her kids and grandkids graduated from college. Western pride has run in the Todd family since the 1920s, when his grandmother attended Western.

Richard Todd said he created the Dick Todd Memorial Arrupe Western Scholarship because, Western is a wonderful place and I think that if you work hard and graduate that you will get a foundation from Western that is very unique. My advice is that I hope Western students and graduates have gratitude for Western and the institution because it is an amazing place. Richard, also a 1983 alum, has many fond memories from his time at Western, including meeting his Wife, Joanie. Both of them continue to be passionately involved with the University, displayed through their scholarship support to students and Richard serving for many years on the Board of Trustees.

Dick was all about hard work and believed in doing things the old-fashioned way. Richard said that if his father was still here to pass on words of wisdom to the scholarship recipients, he would say, If you work hard and have the highest integrity, you will be successful in life. Those are values that Western helps to instill.

ELIGIBILITY:
- Be on track to graduate from Arrupe high School
- Be accepted to WCU by March 1
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.8

SELECTION CRITERIA:
Arrupe Scholars will be selected based on the following criteria:
- Special abilities and goals that reflect a strong role model within the school, community and workplace
- Academic performance or promise
- Outstanding character and potential to give back to the community.
- Catholic scholars are preferred
-Demonstrate financial need for education purposes
- Commitment to graduating from WCU