The Impact of the Glanton Fund
The Glanton Fund supports Des Moines University’s goal to create a campus environment that encourages an appreciation for the cultural differences that exist in society and attracts students of all backgrounds to be part of the university and the greater Des Moines community.
The fund generates scholarships for students with significant financial need with preference given to those whose qualities best align with DMU’s mission and values. The fund is also used for programming related to diversity initiatives.
The Glanton Fund: By the Numbers
Over $5.3 million total endowment
More than $3.2 million awarded to students
All 1,527 enrolled students impacted last year
Annual Glanton Event
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Each year, DMU’s Glanton Event unites hundreds of influential area leaders who believe in the importance of diversity and inclusivity. Together, they support the university’s mission of training future health professionals to establish positive, trusting relationships with patients and offer services that meet their unique and diverse needs.
About the Glanton Fund
The Glanton Fund is a unique program established to recognize the contributions of the late Judge Luther T. Glanton and Willie Stevenson Glanton to Des Moines University and Central Iowa. The fund:
- Generates scholarships to enable promising students to attend DMU.
- Supports university programming that explores an appreciation for cultural differences.
The Glanton Fund requires eligible recipients to demonstrate financial need, determined annually by a valid FAFSA. Many individuals and organizations support the fund as sponsors of the annual Glanton Event.
Judge Luther T. Glanton and Willie Stevenson Glanton
Judge Luther T. Glanton and Willie Stevenson Glanton were lawyers who dedicated their lives to professional leadership and community service. He was the first Black judge in Iowa. She was the first Black female assistant county attorney and the first Black person from Polk County to serve in the Iowa Legislature.
They shared a devotion to DMU, too. Judge Glanton joined the DMU Board of Trustees in 1979. When he died in 1991, Mrs. Glanton took his place on the board, became its chair in 1999 and served as a member untill 2012. She passed away in 2017.
“The Glanton Scholarship was so influential for everything up to this point in my life. The scholarship not only alleviated financial stress during school but also allowed me, beyond graduation, to establish clinics in underserved communities.”
