CEPR Alum., Former FedEx Exec. Starts Scholarship in College of Education
September 27, 2024 鈥� Madan Birla (鈥�82), retired FedEx executive, started a new scholarship for the University of Memphis College of Education (COE), the SSKR Endowed Scholarship. Birla earned his master鈥檚 degree from COE鈥檚 Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology & Research (CEPR) and is a member of COE鈥檚 Dean鈥檚 Advisory Council. He attributes his success at FedEx to his alma mater.
鈥淭his degree helped me the most in my career in terms of my leadership role,鈥� Birla said. 鈥淚t provided the people skills that leadership needs aside from the (engineering) background I already had.鈥�
The $30,000 endowed scholarship is designed to support graduate-level counseling students by paying for recipients鈥� fees associated with certification and licensure exams. Applicants must be in their final stages of coursework in the CEPR department, maintain a 3.8 GPA and demonstrate financial need with exam costs.
鈥淢ental health is a critical concern not only across schools and colleges but across the entire country. Nearly 25% of adults have the need for mental health services, and this generous gift will be pivotal in helping us prepare future counselors to meet some of these needs,鈥� said Dean Mike Miller.
鈥淓ducation is my passion,鈥� Biral said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 giving back to the school that helped me the most.鈥�
The scholarship鈥檚 name, SSKR represents the initials of Birla鈥檚 grandchildren and is intended to give them the motivation to pursue education later in life.