No Party Girl.

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Author: Diament, Michelle

President Bush chose to celebrate his November electoral win with last month's inauguration blowout, costing some $40-million, the most expensive in history. But when Ball State University's new president, Jo Ann M. Gora, thought about how to mark the beginning of her tenure last August at the Muncie, Ind., institution, she decided to share the wealth. Instead of holding an inauguration ceremony, Ms. Gora put the money allotted for the event toward student scholarships.

"Many of our alums have said, if only President Bush could have been thinking outside the box to put funds toward his initiatives, that would have been a better way to spend the money," Ms. Gora says. "It would have had a more lasting impact. That's really what we wanted to do." The university put up $150,000 for the inauguration scholarship fund and asked a few top donors to contribute. Even before the university began asking all alumni for money earlier this month, the fund had exceeded the goal of $300,000.

The scholarships, which will be awarded for academic achievement, will go to Indiana residents enrolling this coming fall. The university will dole out as many of the $20,000 scholarships as funds allow.

Though Ms. Gora opted out of an official inauguration, she'll still get some attention. The university will hold a ceremony in April to officially induct her as president and to award the inauguration scholarships.

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By Michelle Diament