ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (July 30, 2025) — Hundreds of current and future Augustana students will benefit from a $500,000 gift from The Austin E Knowlton Foundation, designated specifically for scholarships and financial aid. The Knowlton Foundation’s primary mission is to promote and advance higher education in the United States through direct grants and contributions to qualified colleges and universities.
"As an activist higher-education philanthropist, we're acutely aware of the affordability-value crisis across colleges and universities, and we're deploying funds that schools can use immediately to reduce net costs to students," said Eric Lindberg, trustee and chief investment officer for The Knowlton Foundation.
"Our priority is providing this funding to schools that are well-run and positioned for longer-term success but which will benefit materially in the short term by boosting scholarship aid — and Augie strongly fits those criteria,” Lindberg said.
Augustana will receive $100,000 annually over the next five years. The money will be used for financial aid and scholarships, giving current and future Augustana students the needed resources to achieve their educational dreams.
"To be selected for this funding is truly an honor,” said Jon Enslin, Augustana’s vice president of college advancement.
“This gift directly supports one of our most urgent priorities: Increasing access and affordability for students from all backgrounds. The Knowlton Foundation’s investment helps us live out our mission by removing financial barriers and expanding opportunity.”
The Knowlton Foundation has supported the college’s mission through the years, including establishing the Austin E Knowlton Memorial Scholarship, as well as funding the Austin E Knowlton Outdoor Athletic Complex and, most recently, the Augustana Prison Education Program (APEP).
"We appreciate our longstanding relationship with the Knowlton Foundation," said Andrea Talentino, Augustana’s president. "They are a forward-thinking partner that is dedicated to helping us provide meaningful opportunities for students in ways that show real and obvious return on investment."
Augustana College's mission: Augustana College, deeply rooted in the liberal arts and sciences and an inclusive expression of Lutheran higher education, is committed to offering a challenging education that develops the qualities of mind, spirit, and body necessary for students to discern their life’s calling of leadership and service in a diverse and changing world.
