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Making a Difference 40 Intergenerational Philanthropy Opens Doors Coss Family Foundation Scholarship Fund Makes Education a Reality This year, the Coss Family Foundation Scholarship Fund of The Saint Paul "We hope our scholarship Foundation will make higher education a reality for more than 50 students who recipients will go on to might not otherwise have had the opportunity. Begun in 1995 by Lawrence Coss, then CEO of what became Conseco Finance Corp,the Fund originally provided fulfill the educational postsecondary education scholarships to Conseco employees and their dependent dreams of others." children. Following the sale of Conseco in 2003,Coss converted the Fund to benefit students graduating from high schools in Dakota and Ramsey counties — Larry Coss in Minnesota, and Buffalo,Hand,Hyde, Meade, and Pennington counties in South Dakota. "I was very pleased with the benefits the Fund provided for Conseco employees, and my hope was to transfer that benefit to economically disadvantaged students in other areas,".says Larry Coss. "I saw the tremendous impact of providing my own children with an education and wanted to give that to others—it's the best way -,h to create a legacy." j This year,the Fund received nearly 100 applications and made approximately $80,000 in new awards. The maximum ' award is$3,500,and students are invited to apply for renewed funding each year that they are enrolled in an accredited two-or four-year college or university. Lori Berg-Kirsch, who coordinates the Fund for The Saint Paul Foundation, says that multi-year scholarship funding is a central aspect of the program. "The Coss family's decision to offer continued assistance through the remainder of a student's education provides a unique Larry Coss,his wife Virginia,and children Tim, Tina, opportunity for economically disadvantaged students to attain postsecondary and Laura(shown left to right)sit on the selection education,"explains Berg-Kirsch. committee,along with other community members. The Coss family is very pleased with the results of the reshaped fund. "We hope When asked about the experience of receiving letters from recipients,son Tim says, "The appreciation letters our scholarship recipients will go on to fulfill the educational dreams of others," heorlf4 -it's amazing to be able to have such a said Larry Coss. `Because of the prudent financial management of the Foundation, positive impact on someone's life without ever this fund has grown into a renewable resource for education." meeting in person." 4