You & Your Family

Scholarship program becomes a Tribble family tradition
Back in 1970, James Tribble won a Royal Neighbors of America scholarship valued at $4,000. Little did he know that he would be starting a family tradition – each of his four children have received a Royal Neighbors scholarship.

A lifelong member of Royal Neighbors, James attended Rose Polytechnic Institute, Terre Haute, IN, with the help of a Royal Neighbors scholarship. “A third of my education was covered by scholarships, my father paid for a third, and I worked to pay for a third,” he said. “When I graduated, I was in good shape financially.”

As their children came, James and his wife, Judith, made sure each child was covered by life insurance with Royal Neighbors. “I didn’t want my kids to work as hard as I did when I was in school,” said James. “They needed life insurance and we knew how good the scholarship program was, so why not insure them with Royal Neighbors?”

There’s no escaping the fact that college costs are rising. Most students and their families can expect to pay an average of $1,000 more for tuition and fees this year than last year. Private four-year schools are 6.3% higher and public four-year schools are up 6.6%. The good news is that there is more than $130 billion in financial aid available.

According to Judith, families need to do a great deal of research. “You can’t rely on just one source for financial assistance. You have to try all the avenues you can think of because it all adds up.”

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is an important tool for families to use when researching financial assistance. To be completed for the first time during a student’s senior year in high school (and each subsequent year a student is in school), this federal government form is used to determine a student’s eligibility for federal aid, which includes grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans. It can be completed on the Web by going to www.FAFSA.ed.gov.

“Education is so much more expensive than it was 30 years ago,” said James. “When I graduated from college, my annual salary at my first job equaled the cost of my education. It’s not like that anymore... financial aid is even more important.”

With the help of Royal Neighbors’ grants and other scholarships, the Tribble children are achieving their educational goals without having to worry about paying for everything. “College has been a very positive experience for them,” said Judith.

The financial aid from Royal Neighbors not only made life easier for the Tribble children, but for James and Judith as well. “Even with four kids to educate, we still did things as a family and enjoyed life.”

“We’re very grateful for what Royal Neighbors has provided,” said Judith. “I encourage anyone who is eligible to apply for a Royal Neighbors scholarship.”

James and Judith have a grandchild due in January. Watch The Royal Neighbor Magazine in 17 years – you just might see the third generation of Tribble scholarship winners!

The Tribble family history
James, 1970 winner,
Rose Polytechnic Institute, Terre Haute, IN
Theresa, 1997 winner,
Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Philip, 1999 winner,
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Matthew, 2001 winner,
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Mary Beth, 2008 winner,
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN