Jamie Kimbrough, an Allegheny College senior from Bridgeville, Pa.

MEADVILLE, Pa. — March 28, 2003 — The Robert A. Marchman, Esq., ’80 and Fay Chin Marchman Scholarship, recently established at Allegheny College to honor African-American or Hispanic Allegheny students for academic achievement, has been awarded to a promising scholar who plans to join the U.S. Marine Corps as a commissioned officer after her graduation this spring.

Jamie Kimbrough, a senior from Bridgeville, Pa., is the first recipient of the prestigious scholarship. Although it never occurred to Kimbrough that she might be the first recipient, she couldn’t be more pleased. To be more precise, the first word she uses to describe how she feels about the honor is “awe.”

“I am just in awe,” says Kimbrough.

“I was so surprised and excited when I found out that I’d been selected. It’s nice to know that people recognized my hard work.”

With the many activities in which Kimbrough has become involved at Allegheny College, to faculty and administrators her selection was anything but surprising. In addition to majoring in history and earning a double minor in writing and political science, Kimbrough is president of the Association for the Advancement of Black Culture, Allegheny Student Government Assistant Director of Student Affairs, a member of the Jazz and Dance Ensemble, and an AmeriCorps Bonner Leader.

After graduation, Kimbrough plans to enter the U.S. Marine Corps as a commissioned officer, and would like to work in the service’s public affairs division.

“I am very appreciative of this scholarship, and honored that I was selected. That the Marchmans decided to create this honor is amazing, and it makes me happy to think about their continued involvement with Allegheny students in years to come.”

Robert A. Marchman, a trustee of Allegheny College, and his wife, Fay Chin Marchman, made the $25,000 donation that established the new scholarship because they have a strong desire to contribute to the rich educational experience at Allegheny by encouraging a more diverse student body.

And Robert knows firsthand the importance of that contribution. “The scholarships I earned while a student at Allegheny were an opportunity for me to demonstrate my commitment to excel,” he says. “We intend for this scholarship to provide a similar opportunity to current students who achieve academic success.”

The scholarships that Robert received made his college education—the foundation of his success in both career and life—possible. He currently serves as Vice President at the New York Stock Exchange in the Division of Enforcement, which investigates and disciplines member firms and associated persons for violations of Exchange Rules and Federal Securities Laws in order to maintain the integrity of the marketplace.

“This is our way of giving back to an institution that has contributed in many ways to our well-being today,” says Fay.

While their generous scholarship will serve as a motivational tool to students today, the Marchmans also hope that the scholarship will contribute to the rich educational experience Allegheny offers to all of its students.

“For me, this scholarship heightens the value of an Allegheny education, developing graduates who can give back to the College in a variety of ways,” Robert says.

“It’s important to support an institution that you believe has helped you to be a success and share the fruits of that success so others can benefit as well,” he adds. In addition to establishing this scholarship, the Marchmans also donated $25,000 to the College’s Annual Fund, which supports scholarships, academic departments, the library, athletics, campus beautification and other areas of the College.

Robert Marchman will visit Allegheny College to participate in a business roundtable, “Crisis of Confidence? Corporate Accountability and the Stock Market,” scheduled Monday, March 31 at 4:00 p.m. in Henderson Auditorium in Quigley Hall.

 

Founded in 1815, Allegheny College ranks in the top seven percent of all liberal arts colleges in the number of graduates who go on to earn Ph.D.s and in the top four percent in producing U.S. business leaders.