European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 27, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                My Aisne i i m Terry Leonard will to graduating Tram Waynesburg Colega in Penny Avantt to inks to a moving company Echo Lahip program. Bartering for tuition credits a Phinio by Tara Bradley Steck associated Pressw Hen Terry Leonard graduates ram Waynesburg College in Pennsylvania in 18 months Shell have a moving Van company to thank Lor part of her degree donated plumbing fixtures helped  for Chris slew am s senior year Al Park College in Missouri. And office Lur Diiuro from a Cracker company made up the $900 Lovie Foxworth needed to graduate from Aurora College in Illinois. The students Are the beneficiaries of a scholarship program thai waiters a company s goods services or used equipment Lor tuition credits at 140 mostly Small Liberal arts colleges and a few universities. About 425 students have received a total of $2 million in scholarships through the system Over the past Lour years. It was kind o funny when 11od my friends about i a scholarship from a plumbing company says Sla Wolfl 21, a ctr Cagaoan who received a $1.175 Grant his year from Allied plumbing and heating Supply co. Of Chicago. But i m Gra Leniul to them. It would have been a. Tight squeeze without  it was a me Saver says Leonard 35, of Washington pa., who received a $1,600 Grant from Allied Van lines. I would not have been Aboc to continue without  the middleman who arranges the swaps and decides which students will Benefit is educational assistance Ltd. Of Glen Ellyn Iii. The brains behind the 4-year-old non profit organization is founder . Swede Hoskam a -10 Gays he can Ash anyone or anything As Long a in t  we be go the Deal program in America Sim Ney made Square wheels Inlo round wheels in term of reaching out says of Roskam an ebullient Whit haired Man of 57 with an Ernes Hemingway styled by a what we be got is americans helping themselves " the concept is simple he says. Companies donate heir equipment or services to Eal often taking a fax deduction. Eal then sends a list of the equipment and it value to participating schools which Purchase the gilts by crediting their value award tuition Lor needy students slide nos apply to Eal for scholarships which arc awarded in the corporations names on the basis of need and academic Perlo Nance. We re interested in the hard Core disadvantaged. Regardless of color Roskam says. Allied Van lines donates its vans to haul the equipment the Cost of which is converted into a scholarship the College offers in the company s name. The colleges also  Eal 10 percent of the value of the goods to help cover the Agency s administrative expenses four full time and four part time Eal employees working in donated office space evaluate students applications compile lists of donated goods for the colleges and coordinate distribution and Iran Poulalion of the equipment. Little is warehoused because Eal does t have the facilities and most companies want to get rid of is inventory As soon As possible. Roskam meanwhile is constantly on the Road drumming up new donations from corporations and seeking More schools to take part in the program. His company Oil Dri corp., has Given him a two year leave of absence with  to expand the Eal program. Tuition can be bartered for just about anything. Roskam recently negotiated a Deal with a resort in Wisconsin to use is hotel rooms in the Eft season Lor College faculty conventions and he once swapped a horse for a $3,000 scholarship that was awarded to a Chicago youth. An a Ray machine and argon laser were on the latest list of items available Tor barter. Roskam came up with the idea of bartering goods or tuition while flying Homo from a business trip in 1980. As sales vies president of the Chicago based company that makes Clay based chemical absorbents. Roskam was on the Road More than he was Home and had Lille Opportunity to fulfil his desire to do Volunteer work. On the plans i picked up an article in time about bartering he says. I must have read it 40 limes and i just started pulling it  alter assembling a Board of directors Roskam began soliciting corporate donations. We wrote a Bunch of letters and got a Tot of dear John s  to says. But Lee Tofy. The vice president of . Grainger co., inc. In Mies iff., liked the idea and donated $10,000 Worth of electrical products. We had the product to give so that made the decision a Little less onerous Tofy says. 1 Don l believe we re gelling any inordinate lax advantage. That was not our primary  Flory passed the word to other corporate executives Roskam kept pounding the pavement and the program caught on Eal helped Resu Scillie Terry Leonard s College tuesday october 27, 19b7 education just when it appeared she would have to drop out of school for Lack of funds. The trim Brunette woman and Molher of two began pursuing a Bachelor s degree in business manage men at Waynesburg College in 1985 after her husband had been Laid Olf irom his welding Job for three years. Armed with jus a High school education in a hard hit Pennsylvania mining area she had Only been Able to find jobs thai paid the minimum wage. She hoped a College education would open new doors. But Leonard decided she d have to quit her studies when her Federal Grant of s1,500 was discontinued this summer. She had taken out As Many Loans As possible and funds were scarce after her husband s Long years of unemployment. A financial Aid officer Al Trio southwestern Pennsylvania College who heard other problem suggested she apply to Eal. Within weeks the organization approved a scholarship in time for lha fall semester. Ladle Foxworth s $900 scholarship was Appoo de in april a month Belore she was to graduate in elementary education from Aurora College. Because she had spent much of her free time last year As an unpaid student teacher a requirement Lor her studies she had less Lime to devote to her Campus work study Job. Like Leonard she had exhausted loan possibilities. I was having a lot of difficulties she says. They Don t let you graduate and get your diploma until the Bill is  Foxworth graduated paid her Bills and is now teaching Al her old elementary school in Chicago with the help of a scholarship irom Nabisco. An Oll shoot of the Eal project was begun last year m Greene county one of the poorest counties in Pennsylvania. The goal is to reach students at a younger age who have Trie academic potential to go to College but Lack the Money. Based in Waynesburg the program has selected 30 eighth graders throughout the county whose parents never went to College. If the students maintain a certain academic level through High school Eal promises to  their Way through College. This used to be a huge mining area and everybody was always working says Karen Killmer who coordinates the Greene county program. Academics weren t stressed because the work was Here. But now colleges Are being seen As a possibility and a necessity. More kids will be going to College irom now on because the options Are  the stars and stripes Page 13