Josephine & Benjamin Webber Trusts

Providing Funding for Post-Secondary Education
In Family and Consumer Science Curriculums

Established to support female students from Arizona mining communities who were interested in studying “home economics” curriculums, the Webbers established two trusts. Their desire was to ensure that Hispanic women living in Arizona mining communities (finishing high school in an Arizona mining community) who were interested in studying a home economics curriculum be given preference for the funds from their Trusts.

Josephine and Benjamin Webber realized that there probably would come a time when there were not enough female Hispanic students living in Arizona mining communities applying for post-secondary funding to use all available funds in their trusts so they stipulated that when this occurred funds could be provided to non-Hispanic female students living in Arizona mining communities or to Hispanic females living outside the mining communities whose fathers, mothers, grandfathers, or grandmothers had lived or continue to live in the Arizona mining communities. Read the historical overview for more information on the trusts.

UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUMS FUNDED

At the time of the establishment of the Webber Trusts, Home Economics was the name of many Colleges, Schools, and/or Academic Departments across the United States , including the State of Arizona . Now many Home Economics units are named Human Ecology or Family and Consumer Sciences. Additionally, some traditional areas of study within home economics units are no longer administrated by Colleges or Schools of Human Ecology or Family and Consumer Sciences. Examples include Nutritional and Food Sciences, Interior Design, and Food Management. These changes have led to some confusion about what undergraduate curriculums qualify as “home economics” curriculums. The following paragraphs are offered to help clarify what programs of study qualify:

ONLY accredited curriculums (courses of study) offered in the State of Arizona can be funded at the undergraduate level. The curriculums may be offered at the State Universities (UA, ASU, NAU), State Community Colleges such as Pima CC, or for profit post-secondary educational institutions such as the Culinary Arts Institute ( Scottsdale ) or the Design Institute (Tucson and Phoenix, for example).

Programs of Study Funded by Webber Trusts - Qualifying Programs/Curriculum

Program of Study Details [link]

GRADUATE CURRICULUMS FUNDED

Students who study a Family and Consumer Science (FCS) Curriculum at the Master's or PhD level and/or engage in a research project that advances FCS research are invited to apply for Webber Trust Funding. Preference is given to students who do graduate study and do research in Dietetics (Josephine Webber's area of study and professional involvement), Food sciences, or Human Nutrition.

FUNDING LEVELS - PUBLIC

UNDERGRADUATE
Undergraduate students are usually provided funding for a maximum of 8 semesters and 2 summers provided they remain enrolled (have good academic standing). Funding includes tuition and fees, books, educational supplies, housing, food, and transportation to and from campus.

GRADUATE
Graduate students are usually provided funding for a maximum of two years (4 semesters and 2 summers). Funding includes tuition and fees, books, educational supplies, housing, food, and transportation to and from campus.

FUNDING LEVELS - FOR PROFIT

Undergraduate students attending the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Collins College, or other for-profit schools are funded as if they were studying at a state-supported school. Webber Trusts does not pay the very high tuition and fees assessed by for-profit schools.

APPLICATION INFORMATION UNDERGRADUATE STUDY

Application Deadline
Friday, March 27, 2009 for funding beginning Fall 2009

Application Form 2009 (pdf file)

Recommendation Directions 2009 (.doc file)

Submission Checklist 2009 (.doc file)

APPLICATION INFORMATION GRADUATE STUDY

Application Deadline
Friday, March 27, 2009 for funding beginning Fall 2009

Application Form 2009 (pdf file)

Recommendation Directions 2009 (.doc file)

Submission Checklist 2009 (.doc file)

The Webber Trusts Committee is a committee within the Arizona Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.