The VandalStore’s mission is “Student Success.” So when the opportunity arose for store manager Scott McDonald to give back, he did, with the formation of the VandalStore Book Scholarship Fund.
Hannah Sandoval | Argonaut
McDonald was approached in 2011 with an idea from some of the baristas at the Starbucks located inside of the VandalStore’s main location. Unable to accept tips, McDonald said the baristas were determined to somehow use that money to better the university. What they discovered was the Found Money Fund — a fund created by the late Terry Armstrong that collects loose change found on campus.
“The idea wasn’t mine, it was told to me by a few of the baristas that happened to know Terry,” McDonald said.
The only problem with this fund — which has amassed more than $300,000 since 1981 — is that the money cannot be touched until 2089, the university’s
200th anniversary.
“People wanted to see their money put to use now,” McDonald said.
The demand for a more immediate use for the tips is what sparked the VandalStore Book Scholarship Fund.
Currently made up of about $4,000, the fund provides not only an answer for impatient tippers, but a positive opportunity for those actually earning the tips, McDonald said.
“We didn’t withdraw any money we had already donated to the Found Money Fund,” McDonald said.
As of now, the scholarships are a relatively small percentage of the fund. Three randomly selected employees currently receive a $100 scholarship each semester, beginning with the current one.
Any VandalStore employee that is also a full-time student is eligible — not just the baristas. VandalExpress and VandalCourt employees can also qualify for the scholarship. McDonald said even students at the Boise location could be eligible, although none currently are.
McDonald said the reason for using such a low percentage of the fund is simple: once the fund is endowed at $25,000, it will be a permanent scholarship for the university, and employees will receive much larger scholarships — up to and potentially exceeding $1,500.
The current recipients of the scholarship are Alex Lowe, Anthony Filicetti and Brianna Hoffman.
The fund accepts any and all donations, and they aren’t required to be in the form of tips.
“Even with more and more people using gift cards, people are starting to say, ‘Hey, you guys take care of me every week,’ and making donations,” McDonald said.
McDonald said everyone is encouraged to donate, not just Starbucks customers.
“If one of our employees hits it big one day, maybe they’ll come back around and donate to the place that helped them out in college,” McDonald said.
Karter Krasselt can be reached at [email protected]