Restructured Scholarships Open More Opportunities for Students

East Central College is restructuring its scholarships to help more students pay for college.

“This will not only encourage the recruitment of full-time students,” said Vice President of Student Services Shelli Allen, “but we also hope it will increase participation in part-time students.”

The new scholarship procedures were put together by a task force comprised of faculty, staff and administrators. The group reviewed current scholarships, researched best practices across the industry and determined how East Central College should allocate scholarships to students.

“The group decided there needed to be a bigger emphasis on persistence and completion,” explained Allen. “The College Completion Scholarship, for example, is an award for students who are within 12 credit hours of degree or certificate completion.”

Another award, the Operation: Graduation! Scholarship, is designed to help students who are meeting the “15 to Finish” timeline toward degree completion within the first two years of college.

“We want to do everything we can to lift the financial burden on our students,” said East Central College President Dr. Jon Bauer. “The scholarship task force found a way to use the funds we have to reach the students who need it most.”

Broader eligibility criteria is also a key component of the restructure. The Board of Trustees Scholarship, for example, was previously open only to students in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. It will now be open to high school graduates with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or who rank in the top 10 percent. The scholarship also now includes HiSET students, home schooled students, transfer students and currently enrolled students at East Central College.

Other changes include scholarships for students enrolled at least half-time, targeted recruitment scholarships for fine and performing arts and modified credit hour requirements for scholarship renewal.