Pitt-Bradford Wraps Up Scholarship Challenge, Announces Thomas Scholarship

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has wrapped up its $1 million Agnes L. and Lewis Lyle Thomas Scholarship Challenge, which generated 44 new scholarships and prompted donors to add money to 53 existing scholarships.

The university also announced a new $100,000 scholarship fund in honor of the late Agnes L. and Lewis Lyle Thomas.

The $1 million gift from the estate of Agnes L. Thomas, made in 2008, was matched by $1 million in funds from other donors. In addition, the investment of the initial gift yielded another $250,000.

The total addition of scholarship money was $2.25 million.

“The estate gift could not have come at a better time, given the financial distress many families were experiencing in 2008,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, president of Pitt-Bradford.

“Many students were able to continue their studies or complete their degree because of the additional scholarship money made possible by the Thomas estate gift. Needless to say, we’re grateful to Mrs. Thomas for including Pitt-Bradford in her will. We’re also grateful to accountant Alan Gordon and attorney Fred Gallup, who worked with Mrs. Thomas on her estate plan.”

Earnings from the invested funds allowed the total match to reach more than $1 million.

“Scholarships continue to be a priority because more than 94 percent of our students demonstrate financial need,” said Jill Ballard, executive director of institutional advancement.

Agnes Thomas was born and grew up in Pitcairn, graduating from Pitcairn High School. She married Lewis Lyle Thomas in 1937.

Mrs. Thomas graduated with honors from the Pittsburgh Academy Business School and worked as an executive secretary at Dresser Manufacturing and later for Dr. Gordon Huff and Dr. Edward Roche.

She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Church, the Pennhills Club and the Bradford Club and loved playing bridge.

Lewis Lyle Thomas was an engineer for the former Bradford Motor Works who died unexpectedly in 1969.

To find out more about endowing a scholarship, contact Jill McInroy-Ballard, executive director of institutional advancement, at (814)362-7689 or jballard@pitt.edu.