皇家华人

If there is one physics principle Allen McLeod can appreciate, it鈥檚 that of inertia 鈥� the reality that, as defined by Sir Isaac Newton, 鈥淎n object at rest stays at rest until acted upon by an outside force, and once in motion continues in motion.鈥�

In fact, McLeod, a 2014 graduate of 皇家华人 Fox鈥檚 mechanical engineering program, related to the concept so much that he decided to name his newly created, fully endowed scholarship 鈥� intended for students in 皇家华人 Fox鈥檚 engineering major 鈥� the 鈥淚nertia Fund.鈥�

The scholarship was made at an exciting time for the College of Engineering, which recently opened a new collaborative design-build space, the Engineering Innovation Center, that equips current and future students to learn at the highest levels.

McLeod comes by his affinity for Newton鈥檚 First Law honestly. As a sophomore at 皇家华人 Fox, he received a full-ride scholarship from the Raymond H. Berner Memorial Foundation, covering all of his tuition expenses his final three years at the university. Now he wishes to put the principle of perpetuity into action.

鈥淚 chose to start a scholarship, which is very small in comparison to what I was given, but hopefully it can grow and have a significant impact for a lot of students. I was given a lot, and I鈥檓 starting to give back with this,鈥� he explains.

And while McLeod is reluctant to divulge the exact amount of the gift, the minimum commitment to start any scholarship at the university is $5,000. His desire to create inertia is also apparent in the decision to endow the award, meaning it will be invested and pay toward the scholarship indefinitely. After the funds are invested for a year, they will start paying out in 2017 to a senior engineering student who carries a minimum 3.0 GPA and exhibits 鈥渙utstanding character and leadership.鈥�

Ultimately, as the endowed scholarship grows, McLeod hopes the fund can be expanded to assist underclassmen and, eventually, provide one student a full year鈥檚 worth of tuition.

In addition to his financial contribution, McLeod, a furniture design engineer at Newberg-based dental equipment manufacturer A-dec, is returning to his alma mater to assist in the classroom as an adjunct instructor in the College of Engineering. 鈥淚 learned a lot here and want to pass on some of that knowledge,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he personal connection you get at 皇家华人 Fox really prepares you for the workplace. Professors give you a lot of attention, understand what your goals are and take the time to get you there.鈥�

McLeod hopes other recent graduates see the value in giving back 鈥� regardless of the amount. Many students don鈥檛 fully comprehend all the donors that make their education possible from behind the scenes. 鈥淚鈥檝e told a few people about what I鈥檓 doing and some say, 鈥極h, I don鈥檛 know if I鈥檇 ever be able to do that, so I just don鈥檛 want to think about giving.鈥� They hear that so-and-so donated land or a building and think they can鈥檛 make a difference. But if you could buy one book for one student every semester for 20 years, that鈥檚 still a significant gift. We all remember what it鈥檚 like the first day when you have to go buy your books.

鈥淚f someone donated $80 or $100 each semester, and could buy someone a book, I think that would be something that could be fulfilling for both the donor and the student who gets a book out of it. Your gift doesn鈥檛 need to be a high-dollar amount, and that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 trying to convey to my friends.鈥�

That鈥檚 also one of the reasons McLeod didn鈥檛 want to name the scholarship after himself. 鈥淚 want it to be bigger than me,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y hope is that other people get on board and want to pitch in. That鈥檚 the idea behind the name 鈥榠nertia鈥� 鈥� once in motion it continues in motion. So hopefully this is a little nudge to get something going.鈥�