The Gettinger sons, Tom, Dan, and John, grew up in a house divided. Their mother, Evelyn, was an ever loyal supporter of Indiana University while their father, John, was a devoted supporter to Purdue University. This friendly rivalry is played out in thousands of homes throughout Indiana, but with the help of the Gettinger Family and the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, it inspired the establishment of two scholarships that now help Sullivan County students attend those renowned universities.

During and after World War II, the Gettingers’ parents attended college – Evelyn at Indiana University and John at Purdue University. Due to circumstances very much beyond their control, neither was able to graduate. That made them even more determined that their three sons would get a college education. When that time came, the rivalry intensified with Tom and Dan choosing I.U. and John going to Purdue.

After her husband passed away, Evelyn worked with the Sullivan County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, to establish a scholarship in his name. The John D. Gettinger Purdue Scholarship Fund assists Sullivan County students that are pursuing an education at John’s beloved Purdue University. When Evelyn passed away, her sons felt it was only right to set up a scholarship for Sullivan County students who wanted to go to Indiana University. The result was the Evelyn W. Gettinger Indiana University Scholarship Fund.

Even though the Gettinger sons live in different parts of the country, the rivalry still continues. Tom Gettinger said, “What our family does agree on is the importance of a college education. We know how hard it is for some students to find the resources to go to a major university. For that reason, we feel these two scholarships are very appropriate ways to memorialize our parents.”

The purpose of John D. Gettinger Purdue Scholarship Fund is to assist Sullivan High School graduates with the cost of going to Purdue University. The Evelyn W. Gettinger Indiana University Scholarship Fund assists Sullivan High School students with the cost of attending Indiana University.

Eligibility requires that:

• You are a graduate of a Sullivan County high school.
• You are pursuing a degree at Indiana University.