In a show of good faith and a commitment to addressing students’ financial needs, incoming university President Wallace Loh has pledged $100,000 toward helping university students who are struggling financially to complete their education.

Loh and his wife, Barbara, will spread the donation over four years. They’ve already given $10,000 to Keep Me Maryland, a program that raises funds toward financing underprivileged students’ tuition and housing. At the end of four years, the total amount donated to the fund will reach $25,000.

Vice President for University Relations Brodie Remington said he was excited about the pledge. Remington said when they first met, Loh had said he was committed to addressing students’ financial needs and committed the $10,000 “on the spot.”

“It’s a real demonstration of leadership,” Remington said.

Remington said Loh’s generosity has already prompted other donors to give toward need-based financial aids, and he expects that to continue — since Loh’s gift, Remington said the fund has received a total of $40,000 in contributions from other donors.

These donations and Loh’s gift will be combined into a $50,000 pool that will be used to match donations from students and alumni dollar-for-dollar, according to university officials.

“Lots of people are rallying to the cause and want to help support students with financial need,” Remington said. “It just means a lot to have from Loh in his moral support and financial backing.”

He added that Loh’s act of good faith would speak tremendous volumes to the university he will take leadership of Nov. 1.

Student Government Association President Steve Glickman also said Loh’s gift sent a strong message of his initiative to the university.

“I think it’s a great step in the right direction,” he said. “It shows that our president actually has student interests in mind because financial aid is an issue impacting a lot of students right now.”

And although news of Loh’s donation was posted on the main university website, it was publicized quietly — Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Warren Kelley, who didn’t even know about the gift, said this gesture was a sincere sign Loh will address the financial needs of the student population.

“He certainly didn’t have to do this, and we didn’t expect this,” Kelley said. “It’s just a gesture that shows a commitment to the things that are important to this campus. I think it’s a wonderful gift.””

Director of the Office of Financial Aid Sarah Bauder said Keep Me Maryland has been very effective since its inception in March 2008, as made evident by the grateful students who were able to complete their education because of the program.

She said with Loh’s endorsement, it can only get better.

“To have our president stand up and say that, ‘This is a wonderful program,’ — and it is — it gives it credence,” she said. “Keep Me Maryland has not had the recognition or the marketing it deserved, and now one person at his level highlights the program like this.”

Several students said need-based financial aid was a worthy cause for the new president to be donating to.

“A lot of students here rely on financial aid, so it’s a good move on his part,” freshman letters and sciences major Kiet Nguyen said. “Just as long as it’s well distributed and goes to people who really need it and deserve it.”

Junior journalism major Hilary Weissman said she saw the gesture as Loh’s way of reaching out to the student population.

“I think that it shows that he is thinking about different ways to get different supporters, and he wants to show that he has students’ best interests at heart,” she said.

However, many students were still bitter that Loh criticized their behavior at the Sept. 6 football game against Navy and questioned whether one act of good faith will make up for it.

“Obviously, he was insulting,” junior finance major Matthew Buckholz said. “I think it won’t change anything, honestly. I think students are still sour.”

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