Index
Scholarships
The William R. Marran III Scholarship
The William R. Marran III Scholarship is awarded to qualified students from disadvantaged backgrounds who might otherwise be overlooked by a selective admission process.
Beginning in 1988, Ethel K. Marran provided annual support for a “full grant” to fund the Leah Webson Scholarship for Minority Women at Hamilton. Subsequently, in 1991, Ms. Marran agreed to shift funds previously allocated for a Career Center endowment to establish the Marran Scholarship in memory of Leah Webson.
Ms. Marran got to know Leah Webson, Hamilton Class of 1986, and her mother, when both Leah and the Marran’s son, Bill, were receiving cancer treatments at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Leah, who was born on the island of Antigua, was raised in Queens, NY, following her family’s move to the United States when she was a child. A graduate of Jamaica High School, Leah came to Hamilton in 1982 via the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). Her plan was to concentrate in English, but her studies were interrupted when she was diagnosed with cancer that required surgery in 1984. Following her recovery, Leah returned to the Hill but left again at the end of 1985, with plans to compete her studies at Syracuse University. Leah died in January 1988 after a recurrence of her cancer.
In establishing this award, Ms. Marran noted that her intent for this scholarship was to provide support for an African-American women “who otherwise would not be able to attend college because of financial reasons.” In the intervening years, the College has made steady progress in its efforts to further the ethnic, socio-economic and geographic diversity of the student body, reinforced by the College’s decision in 2010 to admit qualified students without consideration of their ability to pay while also meeting their full, demonstrated financial need so that they may attend.
This fund has borne several names since its original establishment. In executing this formalized agreement, Ms. Marran made the decision to rename the fund in memory of her son, Bill. The oldest of three sons and from a family of six children, Bill attended Phillips Exeter and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He worked for several years in the family business before being diagnosed with brain cancer. Known for his wry sense of humor, he was a thoughtful, kind and loving son.
September 2017
Please note: The named scholarships profiled on these pages are awarded as part of the College’s need-based financial aid packages. These funds help ensure the Hamilton Promise of keeping education affordable through meeting a student’s full demonstrated financial need.
Materials published here were diligently researched and written by students who strived for historical accuracy.
