GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College Campus Store Manager Nalini Downing has established a new scholarship that will provide $1,000 annually to each of two students pursuing degrees in sports management and communication.
The Thiyam and Downing Scholarship will support one student majoring in sports management and one majoring in communication and media who demonstrate financial need. Downing created the scholarship to honor the legacies of her father, Thiyam Prem Kumar, and her father-in-law, Frank Kenneth Downing.
The scholarship reflects Thiel College’s commitment to making higher education accessible and affordable while preparing students for careers in business, sports, media and communication.
Downing’s father was a respected figure in journalism, civic leadership and public information in Manipur, India. According to E-Pao.net, Thiyam Prem Kumar played an important role in establishing the Manipur Information Centre in New Delhi in 1981. Following his death in 2016, his legacy continues through the annual Thiyam Premkumar Award, which recognizes excellence in journalism and the defense of press freedom in Manipur.
The scholarship also honors Frank Kenneth Downing, a Pennsylvania native whose commitment to family, service and professional achievement continues through his children.
Downing has managed the Thiel College Campus Store since March 2023 and served in an interim role in the College’s Career Development Center during the 2025-26 academic year and taught a first-year class in the fall of 2026. She lives in Mercer, Pa., with her husband of 25 years, Mark, and their son, Ethan.
Nearly all Thiel College students receive some form of financial aid, including scholarships, grants and other assistance that help make a private college education more affordable.
The Thiyam and Downing Scholarship is part of Join the Journey: The Campaign for Thiel College, the College's $100 million comprehensive fundraising campaign to expand student opportunity, strengthen academic and co-curricular excellence, and build long-term support for future generations of Tomcats.
Students and families interested in learning more about scholarship opportunities and financial aid at Thiel College can contact the Office of Financial Aid at 724-589-2006 or finaid@thiel.edu. Additional information is available at .
Webmail
Campus Offices
Directory
Schedule an Event
Maintenance Issue
Spectrum U
IT Support
Academic Catalog
Academic Resources
Accessibility
Attend & Assist
Boodlebox
Buy Books
Calendar
Campus Map
Handshake
Course List
Library
The Learning Commons
Moodle
Newsroom
Public Safety
Self Service
Solution Center
Pay My Bill
Thiel Gear
Tomcats Care
Wellness Center