Alumni of the University Honors Program in the Honors College have established the Al Maisto Endowed Scholarship to recognize the longtime professor of psychology who also served as the associate dean of the Honors College and director of the University Honors Program.
Maisto’s work with honors students is legendary at the University, spanning more than two decades.
A steering committee of alumni from honors led the campaign that raised more than $32,000 in two months. The scholarship was announced recently at an all-honors alumni reception celebrating 45 years of honors programs on campus. It was the first alumni event to span the 26 honors programs on campus. Some 70 people attended the event at the Harris Alumni Center.
“We salute Dr. Maisto in recognition of his work with the Honors Program and college and the profound impact he has had on the lives of his students,” said Jennifer Paules, head of the alumni steering committee and a vice president at Bank of America. “Throughout his academic career, Dr. Maisto has done all he can to provide resources for his students to pursue their degrees, and we are honored to assist that cause.”
This scholarship will support students in the Honors College, recognizing those who have pursued intellectual challenge and possess deep character.
“This fund will exist in perpetuity and recognize Al’s love of learning, passion for student success and leadership of the honors programs at UNC Charlotte,” Provost Joan Lorden said. “Future recipients will be chosen from among talented and deserving students of the Honors College.”
While the Honors College was established only 10 years ago, thanks to Maisto and then-dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Schley Lyons, honors programs on campus go back 45 years, beginning with four initial departmental programs. This anniversary year 2013 celebrates those programs as well as the anniversary of programs in University Honors (30 years), Business Honors (20 years), and Arts + Architecture (5 years). Teaching Fellows has been on campus 25 years.
Maisto, the Carnegie Foundation’s U.S. Professor of the Year for 1997-98, has served as an assistant to the chancellor for academic affairs, as faculty president and as coordinator of the undergraduate psychology program. He also was named a Bonnie E. Cone Distinguished Professor for Teaching.
In 2012, Maisto helped design the UNC Charlotte Faculty Council’s voluntary faculty scholarship fund. The Faculty Legacy Scholarship is aimed at meeting all UNC Charlotte students’ financial needs. Starting with small donations from faculty that accumulate over time, the fund’s goal is to eventually help defray tuition and fee costs for UNC Charlotte students.