New Endowed Travel Fund Established in Honor of Alum

FREDERICK, Maryland — Hood College is proud to announce a new endowed travel fund to increase student access to international travel opportunities. The Beth Darroch Coggins ’81 Memorial Scholarship Travel Fund was created by her husband, CDR Kenneth “KC” Coggins, USN (Ret.), and her daughters, Kristina Coggins Heck ’11 and Julie Coggins Dunlap to provide standout Hood students with the opportunity to study abroad.

The fund advances Hood College’s goal to ensure every student has at least one life-changing experiential or high-impact learning opportunity before they reach graduation. High-impact learning experiences are key to the liberal arts model of education and Hood’s commitment to offering a holistic, professional education for all students.

“Research shows that high-impact learning improves educational outcomes for all students, with greater impact for first-generation and underserved college students,” said Hood College President Andrea E. Chapdelaine. “Potential employers and advanced degree programs prefer college graduates who have proven their aptitude and themselves through these experiences.”

Coggins traveled widely following graduation from the College in 1981, visiting 38 countries, nine Canadian provinces and 49 states.  She spent seven years living abroad and raising her family, as a Navy spouse, during her husband’s assignments in Denmark, Norway and Spain.

Professionally, Coggins leveraged her Hood degree to work as a Department of Defense contractor teaching computer skills in Asia, Europe and the United States; develop training materials for new information systems as a Department of State contractor; teach at Copenhagen International School; and serve as Special Education Lead Teacher at Griffin Middle School in The Colony, Texas.

“Beth loved to travel, loved Hood and loved her students.  Though we miss her very much, we know Beth would be overjoyed to share the experience of living abroad with Hood students, present and future.  The scholarship is targeted at students, on need-based financial aid, unable to afford the travel expenses associated with the study abroad experience, without financial assistance,” said her husband of 33 years, KC Coggins.

The fund shall remain open to receive additional gifts from others that recognize the immense value of high-impact learning to unlock capacity and transform futures. To give to the fund, please visit hood.edu/give. To give to this fund specifically, select "Other" for the designation and then note the Coggins Fund in the comments section. 

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