A generational commitment: Dual scholarships to support the next generation of leaders

For Ed (ADL '64, MED '68) and Melinda Melton Sadar (FSM '66), Case Western Reserve University is more than just their alma mater—it is where their lifelong journey together began. After sharing glances in a Philosophy 101 class and then officially meeting in Thwing Hall, the couple is now approaching their 59th wedding anniversary. 

To celebrate their enduring connection to CWRU, the Sadars are giving back with a $750,000 gift to establish scholarships for students in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Medicine.

The Sadars' motivation for giving is straightforward: to create opportunities for the next generation. The gift’s dual focus reflects their belief in the power of scholarships to help students  across all fields foster the critical-thinking skills essential for future leaders.

Ed, a retired neurosurgeon, emphasized the importance of intellectual breadth. “An undergraduate liberal arts education is extremely important,” he said. “It's about learning how to think and having a humanistic approach.

The Sadars’ commitment to CWRU spans decades and is a part of a family legacy. All four of Melinda’s sisters are alumnae, and their mother, Jessica Melton Perry (CLC ’59), affectionately known as "Ben," served as a faculty member at Western Reserve University’s School of Library Science from 1961 to 1970. Their philanthropic support also established the Jessica Melton Perry Award in honor of Melinda's mother, a dedicated space known as "Ben's Room" in the Writers House, and the Edward S. and Melinda Sadar Lecture in Writing.

With this latest transformative commitment to scholarships, the Sadars ensure that future students can begin their own CWRU journeys, just as they did more than 60 years ago.