Central College Class of 1950 graduate Hendrik G. “Henry” Van Leeuwen bequeathed $224,787 to Central to establish the Van Leeuwen Scholarship for students. Henry passed in February 2022.

Van Leeuwen worked with the Central Advancement office a few years ago to complete the paperwork for his charitable gift annuity to establish the Van Leeuwen Scholarship, which did not have restrictions, as Henry wanted to give the college the flexibility to award financial aid where it was needed most.

While at Central from 1946 to 1950, he was a member of the tennis team, campus ministries, choir, BEAKES and served as the editor of The Central Ray from 1949-1950.

Following his Central graduation, he returned to his native California to earn his master’s degree in philosophy from the University of California – Berkeley. He returned to Central College in 1954 to brush up on French and German languages, required for a Ph.D. He postponed furthering his doctorate education in 1954 to fill the vacancy in Central’s philosophy department.