Dozens of students at Augusta University (AU) have been awarded a scholarship just created by the state.
In total, up to $200,000 is being doled out to make life easier while carving out a career path.
The DREAMS Scholarship is provided statewide. It is a need-based financial boost for students in the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). More than 440 AU students applied, and 69 were selected.
The news release announcing the awards quoted Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who introduced the program.
“I believe we owe it to every child to ensure they start out on a level playing field, no matter their ZIP code,” Kemp said earlier this year. “In future years, this one-time endowment will create opportunities for generational economic advancement for thousands of students, and down the road it will allow them to complete college and begin meaningful careers without the burden of crippling debt.”
Kyle Parsons, director of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at AU, told ABD the applications were reviewed based on eligibility requirements, including being a Georgia resident eligible for the federal Pell Grant program, meeting GPA guidelines, and completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
“But we had still more students that met those initial criteria, so we looked at those who had financial hardships, and we used a determination of whether they had a remaining balance on their full tuition or educational expenses,” he explained. “Are they a returning student? Are they an upperclassman who’s trying to get across the finish line and get that degree? Are they a full-time student?
Another factor was the student’s ability to complete the 60-hour work requirement for this scholarship. For the students to receive the spring disbursement, they’ll have to have completed at least 60 hours of paid or unpaid experience.
“Even before they can get their first disbursement, they’re actually completing a financial literacy toolkit that the state offers to the student that they have to complete, and from there, they have to continually meet these 60-hour work or volunteer experience requirements,” Parsons explained. “Students who get this, especially two disbursements or more, they’re completing a lot of hours of experience that can help them into their future with resume building and career experience.”
DREAM Scholarships are funded by a $325 million allocation in this year’s state budget. Students will receive up to $3,000 per year to help cover costs.
Citing the National Institute for Student Success, AU found that more than half of U.S. college students would struggle to cover a $500 financial emergency, resulting in a delay in their studies. Data shows students are three-and-a-half times more likely to graduate on time if their education is not interrupted.
That said, AU President Russell Keen can mean the DREAMS Scholarships are a valuable resource, particularly in the completion of a student’s degree.
“At Augusta University, we pride ourselves on being a student-centered research university committed to student success, and initiatives like the DREAMS Scholarship help more students access the life-changing opportunities that a college degree provides,” Keen said.
Given the response to this first offering of the DREAMS Scholarship, Parsons anticipates a similar response next year. However, he advised, do not forget other financial opportunities being offered.
“The best thing to do is just to continue to reach out to the financial aid office and to review the scholarships that we have available here at our institution, both state, federal, and institutional,” he said. “We market these options and available scholarships to our students, and so take the opportunity to apply; make sure that they put themselves into consideration for landing one of those scholarships is really the best thing that they can do.”
Student enrollment at AU is continuing its record-breaking growth trajectory. For the Fall 2019 semester, 9,274 students enrolled. By 2025, that ballooned to 12,337. AU awarded almost $64,250,000 in scholarships, grants, and loans. Funds from HOPE or the Zell Miller grants accounted for 53% of the funds.
