The Bergstrom Foundation, the charity founded by Kelley and Joan Bergstrom of Key Colony Beach, Florida, recently committed $5.3 million to establish the Bergstrom Achievement Scholarship Program and help ensure students with a range of backgrounds have access to higher education at Iowa State University’s Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business. This is the largest cash gift for a scholarship in the history of the Ivy College of Business.
“The Bergstroms’ extraordinary commitment helps advance one of Iowa State’s most important priorities, to welcome and support students from diverse backgrounds who come here to pursue their dreams,” Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen said. “The Bergstroms’ generosity will directly benefit talented, hardworking students and help them achieve those dreams.”
Endowed scholarship programs create a lasting source of support for students, providing benefits for generations. The Bergstrom Achievement Scholarship Program will offer support to 24 Bergstrom Scholars, approximately six new scholars each year, who are first-generation students, U.S. military veterans or otherwise contribute to the diversity of the student body. Of the six recipients each year, one will be a graduate of Des Moines Public Schools’ East High School and one will be a military veteran or National Guard member.
“Long-time philanthropic support, such as the Bergstroms’, has helped drive the college forward, and we are proud to have record-high rankings over the past two years for our undergraduate as well as MBA programs,” said David Spalding, Raisbeck Endowed Dean of the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business. “Their recent gift will continue this momentum by enabling us to diversify, while also growing our student population, and that makes for a better experience for all of our students.”
Kelley Bergstrom graduated from Iowa State University in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial administration. He went on to earn his MBA from the University of Florida. While at Iowa State, he was a member of the Army ROTC and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. As a student at East High School in Des Moines, he was involved in sports, yearbook and Junior Achievement, while working significant hours at a local dairy. Today, Bergstrom is chairman of Bergstrom Investment Management, LLC. He is an active volunteer at Iowa State, serving as an Iowa State University Foundation Governor and as a member of the Ivy College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council. In addition, he has served as chair of the Iowa State University Foundation’s Board of Directors and as a member of several committees. The Ivy College of Business presented its Citation of Achievement award to him in 1992 and its John D. DeVries Service Award in 2006.
The Bergstrom Foundation made its gift commitment through the Iowa State University Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization committed to securing and managing gifts that benefit Iowa State University. The Forever True, For Iowa State campaign, with a historic goal to raise $1.5 billion, will help support Iowa State in becoming the premier land-grant university for the 21st century and beyond.
Learn more about scholarships and financial aid at the Ivy College of Business.
June 22, 2021
