Simply super. That's how Colby's most recent infusion of financial aid funds is being characterized. The superlatives began when an anonymous donor, who already had given a $300,000 financial aid scholarship, decided to increase his commitment to $1.2 million and establish a "super scholarship" as part of a renewed push to make Colby affordable to any deserving student who wishes to attend. "We had been hoping we could talk to him again before the end of the Campaign," said Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Randy Helm, "but he called us before we had a chance." The concept of the super scholarship is a Colby innovation. It was created, says Helm, in an attempt to emulate the College's success in attracting endowed faculty chairs. "We need to have the same kind of progress in financial aid that we've had in endowed chairs," Helm said. "Super scholarships are equal in cost and prestige to endowed chairs. "What is super about a super scholarship is that it is sufficient when fully funded to provide an average grant to one student in each of the four classes every year," Helm said. Last year an average grant would have provided $14,000. Lucia Whittelsey, director of financial aid, said the super scholarships are particularly valuable because they recognize the "true need" of today's students. "The average grant is a whole lot more than it was just five or ten years ago," she said. "The idea of having enough income to cover an average grant is very forward thinking." The anonymous donor presented his gift as a challenge, hoping to lead the way to a total of four super scholarships by the end of The Campaign For Colby, Helm says. "This donor has a passion for financial aid. Always has. This is his way of demonstrating his commitment to that cause and inspiring others to do the same," Helm said. Before the college even had a chance to publicize the challenge adequately, the second super scholarship had been pledged by William '57 and Judith Prophett Timken '57, according to Helm. "I barely had a chance to mention the challenge before Bill and Judy let me know that they already felt as strongly about the importance of endowed financial aid as the anonymous donor. They simply bowled me over with their eagerness to help" he said. Judith Timken said the decision to provide money for scholarships was based on logic. "Without financial aid schools can't compete," she said. "Without qualified students schools lose prestige. It doesn't matter how good your faculty is if the students can't do the work. Colleges need financial aid to attract those top students." She recalls that as a student in the late '50s "you could almost make enough in one summer to pay for the next year's tuition. Obviously that is no longer the case." "We've seen what Colby can do for young people; it did a great deal for us," said Bill Timken. The Timkens are returning this summer for their 40th class reunion. It will be the first time Bill has been on campus since graduation. "Over the years, even though I've never been back, I've been able to see what Colby has done for a lot of lives. This is a chance for us to help some young people who otherwise wouldn't have access [to Colby]," he said.