Roy and Mae, 31, Harrison Karro

A couple's 'longstanding generosity' lives on

Long known for its success in sending aspiring doctors to medical school, Albion College announced in early 2011 a new gift to support those students. The Roy G. Karro Trust funded a $1.25-million endowment to establish the Roy and Mae Harrison Karro Scholarship, intended for students planning a career in medicine.

Mae Karro was a 1931 Albion College graduate. In her memory, her husband, Roy Karro, also provided the funding for construction of the Mae Harrison Karro Village, a College-owned apartment complex which opened in 2001.

"The Karros' longstanding generosity to Albion represents a significant investment in our students’ education," said President Donna Randall. "We at Albion College are deeply appreciative of this new endowed scholarship gift, which will continue to assist students long into the future."

Along with providing up to two years' full tuition, the scholarship includes room and board during the recipient’s senior year if living in the Mae Harrison Karro Village.

“Roy and Mae appreciated the difference that a college education had made in their own lives, and they wanted to make similar opportunities available to students today," said Linda Renich, the Karro Trust’s executor and a longtime caregiver for the Karros. "During his visits to campus in recent years, Roy was so impressed with the talent and enthusiasm he saw in Albion’s students. Establishing this scholarship was one way he and Mae could make a meaningful impact in these young people's lives and encourage them to achieve their goals."

While a student at Albion College, Mae Karro majored in literary studies and was involved in Greek-letter organizations and women's intramural athletics. Following her graduation, she became a teacher and then went on to establish a successful real estate agency. She and her husband, a financier who retired in 1999 from Salomon Smith Barney, lived in Southfield, Mich.

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