John and Marsha Woodworth have pledged $125,000 to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor’s Scholarship Program. The Woodworths’ pledge is part of a $10 million matching-gift drive currently underway, making the total value of the gift $250,000.
John Woodworth is an alumnus of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1973. He went on to a successful 39-year career at 3M in Minnesota, where he eventually became senior vice president of Corporate Supply Chain Operations. He retired in 2013.
“I owe a lot of my success to UW-Madison and the education I received here,” Woodworth says. “That education allowed me to be recruited by a major corporation, where I was able to spend my entire career.”
Woodworth was a scholarship recipient himself, and he credits the scholarship with making his education possible. “I wanted to return the favor and hope others can benefit as well,” he says.
The Chancellor’s Scholars program began in 1984 and provides merit-based scholarships to UW-Madison students. The scholarships cover the full cost of tuition for both resident and non-resident students, as well as a $400 stipend each semester for textbooks.
In addition to the monetary assistance, Chancellor’s Scholars gain access to a number of academic, social and volunteer opportunities. These opportunities include monthly meetings where they are able to network with their peers and develop their leadership skills; monthly “fireside chats” with distinguished faculty and staff; ongoing academic advising and individualized support service; and special events that promote supportive community-building and intercultural understanding.