United States Golf Association awards new round of 84 grants

The United States Golf Association (USGA) has awarded a new round of 84 grants totaling $1,675,964 to non-profit organizations that will reach nearly 50,000 economically disadvantaged children and individuals with disabilities.

The awards are part of the USGA's effort to create opportunities in people's lives through golf. Grant monies can be used for instruction, golf course and range access, equipment or construction of golf facilities.

"The values that are inherent to the game of golf are transferable to areas of personal development that reach far beyond the golf course" said USGA President Walter Driver. "The programs we have supported over the past 10 years have demonstrated golf's potential to change lives time and time again. We know these newly supported programs will continue that good work."

The USGA has awarded nearly $55 million since 1997 through its "For the Good of the Game" grants initiative.

Kimberly Brown, a young woman in her 20s who is assistant director of The First Tee of Greater Seattle (TFTGS), knows firsthand that golf has the potential to change lives. She was involved in a USGA-funded program as a youngster in Montclair, N.J. After college, she was a Fellow administrator in the USGA grants program for two years. She now works for a program that has been the recipient of USGA funding.

"We are so grateful for the support of the USGA. Its support has been invaluable in establishing ourselves in the Seattle community," said Brown. "After starting with fewer than 250 participants in 2003; we now reach 1,200 kids annually. There is no way we could have accomplished this without the generosity of the USGA."

This time around, another Seattle-based program got a helping hand. The Seattle Junior Golf Foundation received a $27,500 grant.

Another program that will benefit from USGA funding is the Bergenfield (N.J.) Public School District. The new program there will use a $14,000 grant to help introduce students with Autism to golf as a way to strengthen their social skills and cognitive abilities.

"What makes golf the perfect challenge for students with this disability is that it is a game that dares each participant to continuously compete against oneself," said Superintendent Dr. Michael Kruchar. "Every player has an opportunity to be a winner. The course will represent a spectacular and safe learning environment for children who have been trapped inside a variety of walls for too long."

In Chicago, the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation will receive $44,000 in funding to support its summer caddie program, which enters its 16th year in 2007. It is designed to help economically-disadvantaged young people obtain job experience, earn income and gain self-reliance. So far, 368 scholars have participated in the caddie program and 86 caddies have gone on to receive the prestigious Chick Evans Scholarship that underwrites college tuition.

The USGA will also support the development of youth through the Texas Golf Association Foundation's new TGA Works internship program with a $28,000 grant. The initiative will introduce 20 Dallas-area youths to careers in the golf industry through placements in TGA-member golf club pro shops, clubhouses and maintenance crews. During their 10-week internships, participants will also have access to free golf instruction, equipment and playing opportunities.

"We are very proud of the USGA's support for the TGA WORKS program," said Winfield Padgett, president of the TGA Foundation. "The goals of TGA WORKS are parallel with the Foundation's mission to not only expose young people to the game, but also introduce them to the many possible career opportunities in the golf industry.

Here is a complete list of the 84 programs receiving funding across the country:

Challenge Alaska, Inc. Anchorage, Alaska $11,500

Huntsville Metropolitan Youth Golf Foundation Huntsville, Ala. $10,000

Tennessee Valley Jazz Society Huntsville, Ala. $10,000

Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement Sylacauga, Ala. $8,000

Southern Arizona Junior Golf Association Tucson, Ariz. $11,250

East Bay Golf Foundation Concord, Calif. $95,000

Mosquitos Eastside Action Club, Inc. Ripon, Calif. $2,700

Lake Chabot Junior Golf Academy San Leandro, Calif. $14,000

Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, Calif. $4,000

Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County Temecula, Calif. $4,000

Yreka Family YMCA Yreka, Calif. $2,500

Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley Alamosa, Colo. $14,000

LPGA Foundation Daytona Beach, Fla. $185,000

The First Tee of Jacksonville, Inc. Jacksonville, Fla. $20,000

Florida Adaptive Golf, Inc. Sarasota, Fla. $50,000

Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology Spring Hill, Fla. $2,600

Walton Foundation Augusta, Ga. $9,660

Decatur County of Georgia Bainbridge, Ga. $5,550

The First Tee of Columbus Columbus, Ga. $10,000

Boys & Girls Club of Rome, Inc. Rome, Ga. $8,000

North Shore Junior Golf Association Waialua, Hawaii $50,000

Idaho Youth Ranch Inc. Boise, Idaho $14,650

Idaho Youth Golf Association, Inc. Boise, Idaho $17,300

The Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation Chicago, Ill. $44,000

Dreams for Kids Inc. Chicago, Ill. $12,370

George Bell Youth Opportunity Fund Libertyville, Ill. $3,350

Patriots' Gateway Community Center Rockford, Ill. $15,000

Rockford Park District Rockford, Ill. $15,000

Boys & Girls Club of Springfield Springfield, Ill. $15,000

Blackford County Community Foundation Hartford City, Ind. $8,000

Damar Services Inc. Indianapolis, Ind. $10,500

Positive Swing Southport, Ind. $30,000

Arkansas City Recreation Commission Arkansas City, Kan. $2,000

Wichita Junior Golf Foundation Wichita, Kan. $18,000

TFT, Inc. Pineville, Ky. $57,000

Youth Golf Coalition Louisville, Ky. $40,000

Northeast Louisiana Youth Golf Academy Monroe, La. $40,000

Northwest Louisiana Youth Golf and Education Foundation Shreveport, La. $25,000

Public Schools of Brookline Brookline, Mass. $14,000

Children & Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Landover, Md. $6,750

Northern Maine Development Commission, Inc. Caribou, Maine $5,500

Traverse City Junior Golf Association Traverse City, Mich. $15,000

Chillicothe Middle School Chillicothe, Mo. $4,150

Triple "A" Youth Foundation St. Louis, Mo. $20,000

Eagle Mount Billings Billings, Mont. $5,120

Walter T. Morgan Service Foundation, Inc. Cornelius, N.C. $10,000

City of Franklin, Parks and Recreation Department Franklin, N.H. $1,500

Bergenfield Public School District Bergenfield, N.J. $14,000

The ARC of Atlantic County, Inc. Egg Harbor Tnshp, N.J. $5,000

Boys and Girls Clubs of Gloucester County, Inc. Glassboro, N.J. $2,500

Gloucester City School District Gloucester City, N.J. $12,500

Metropolitan Golf Association Foundation Elmsford, N.Y. $22,500

Mount Vernon Boys and Girls Club Mount Vernon, N.Y. $6,784

The First Tee of Akron Akron, Ohio $12,500

Edwin Shaw Hospital - Challenge Golf Akron, Ohio $8,700

Hamilton County Park District Cincinnati, Ohio $5,000

Mound Street Military Academy Dayton, Ohio $4,000

Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation Independence, Ohio $5,340

Whittier Middle School Lorain, Ohio $640

Youth Development Corp of Southwestern Ohio Loveland, Ohio $3,100

Malta-McConnelsville Rotary McConnelsville, Ohio $6,750

Ohio Junior Golf Association Norwalk, Ohio $20,000

The First Tee of Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. $3,000

City of Waurika Waurika, Okla. $1,800

City of Waurika Waurika, Okla. $1,250

Heart of Variety Fund Philadelphia, Pa. $20,000

Fairway Outreach, Inc. Columbia, S.C. $50,000

SharedCare Myrtle Beach, S.C. $13,000

City of Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Chattanooga, Tenn. $5,150

Mid-South Junior Golf Association Memphis, Tenn. $50,000

Mid-South Junior Golf Association Memphis, Tenn. $125,000

The Greater Brownsville Junior Golf Foundation, Inc. Brownsville, Texas $30,000

Texas Golf Association Foundation Dallas, Texas $28,000

Youth Sports Council of Fort Worth Fort Worth, Texas $30,000

Grand Prairie Independent School District Grand Prairie, Texas $3,500

Young Women's Christian Assoc. of Lubbock, Texas, Inc. Lubbock, Texas $6,000

YMCA of Port Arthur Texas Port Arthur, Texas $20,000

The Texas Educational Foundation San Marcos, Texas $15,000

Southern Texas PGA Foundation Spring, Texas $40,000

Boys & Girls Club of Utah County Provo, Utah $11,000

National Alliance for Accessible Golf Bloomington, Va. $25,000

Golfers Social Foundation Palmyra, Va. $10,000

Seattle Junior Golf Foundation Seattle, Wash. $27,500

Learning Through Golf Foundation Green Bay, Wis. $20,000

USGA Grants Initiative: A Capsule History

The USGA is the national governing body of golf in this country and Mexico, a combined territory that includes more than half the game's golfers and golf courses.

The USGA works to make the game of golf affordable and accessible. Since 1997, the grants initiative has traditionally focused on programming for economically disadvantaged kids and individuals with disabilities. The USGA Executive Committee has extended this grants initiative to the end of the decade, bringing total anticipated USGA support to $65 million to provide financial support and assistance to deserving golf programs.

Beyond its Grants Initiative, the USGA partners with national organizations to promote affordable and accessible facility development, course access, girls' golf and initiatives for individuals with disabilities.

For more information on the USGA Grants Initiative, contact the Grants office at (719) 471-4810 or visit the Grants Section of the USGA Web site at www.usga.org.

Media Contact:

Craig Smith

csmith@usga.org

Web address: www.usga.org

USGA phone: (908) 234-2300

How to save money on your college education, before, during and after

In this multi-part personal finance series, readers will learn various ways to help save money for a college education, from off-the wall-scholarships and 529 programs, to the right time to refinance your loans, parents and students alike who read this series will find something to help reduce the costs of a higher education before, during and after it takes place.

Part 1: Scholarships

I graduated from St. John's University in New York by the skin of my teeth -- not because of my grades, but because my family could barely afford the $14,000-a-year tuition. If it was not for the help of several scholarships, I would not have graduated from the prestigious university, which includes notable alumni such as the "Voice of the Yankees" Robert Shappard, former New York State Governor Mario Cuomo and NBA star Ron Artest.

To qualify for a scholarship, one does not need to be a math genius or a star quarterback. What you need is an imagination, the ability to write a few essays and some luck.

When it comes to needing money for higher education, it's everywhere. You just need to know where to find it.



Many parents don't realize there are private scholarships for just about everyone -- from future electricians to red-haired children. Ask your school guidance office if there are any local scholarships earmarked for students in your town, your particular school or even in the child's major. You'd be surprised to find how much money is out there -- and how easy it is to earn.

Many scholarships like to see students who are giving back to their local community. Volunteering for an organization is something that goes a long way on your essay, but the organization itself may even offer scholarships to those who offer a hand. The only downfall is that most private scholarships fall in the $500-$2,000 range, an amount that is paltry compared to the costs of most universities in this day and age. Of course, when it is free money, every dollar counts.

The Search for Scholarships

Before the internet, finding a scholarship was a nightmare. Students had to work through dictionary-sized manuals looking for a potential award. Today, there are a handful of free sites that have databases -- such as Fastweb, CollegeBoard and Salle Mae's College Answer -- which make this tedious research much easier. While these databases are not perfect, the search engines are so much easier than thumbing through a scholarship directory.

You can find money from the strangest places. Here are a few interesting examples:

* If you're tall, Tall Clubs International offers a $1,000 scholarship, the Kae Sumner Einfeldt Scholarship, eligible to women over 5'10 and men over 6'2.

* Skateboarders can apply for the Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship. One individual will receive a $5,000 scholarship while three others will each receive a $1000 scholarship.

* The U.S. Bowling Congress provides several scholarships for bowlers.

Finaid provides a large list of unusual scholarships here.

I graduated from college with the help of the Boy Scouts of America and its National Eagle Scout Scholarship. Other organizations provide scholarships to Eagle Scouts as well, see a list of them here and here. Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas offers the Lyle Scholarship, a fully-paid four-year scholarship for Eagle Scouts majoring in Computer Science, Engineering, or Mathematics. At the time of this article, Lamar had received only one application for this year's annual scholarship.

Your employer, unions and various clubs are also great resources for scholarships. Scholarship America, which only gives money to students who live in their area, provided $185 million in scholarships last year though its local chapters. But be warned, parents need to watch out for scams. Plenty of companies around the nation offer ways to find parents guaranteed scholarship funds for money upfront. This is something you could have done for free on your own. Keep in mind, you're looking for free scholarship money -- you've got some hefty bills coming up in the next few years.

SME Education Foundation awards 2007 scholarships

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation recently announced the winners of its annual Directors and Family Student Scholarships. The top award, the SME Family Scholarship, will provide four years of full tuition for high school senior Levi Gamble, of Ramona, Calif., to help fund his undergraduate degree in engineering. Monica Denis, a senior at Michigan’s Kettering University, and Tristan Wagner, a senior at Oregon State University, each received the SME Education Foundation Directors Scholarship, a one-year award that will help fund the completion of their degrees.

The winners were honored at the SME Annual Meeting and Leadership Luncheon, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.



"One of the most important tasks we can accomplish is to provide support for outstanding students who want to become tomorrow’s manufacturing engineers," said Glen Pearson, president of the SME Education Foundation. "We are proud to offer both financial support as well as our heartfelt encouragement to these deserving, bright students. We believe that the contributions they will make to engineering will ensure a vibrant, healthy future for our industry and our world."



The SME Education Foundation was created by SME in 1979 as a means to transform manufacturing education and enhance manufacturing engineering technology curricula in North American colleges and universities. As a wholly owned subsidiary of SME, governed by its own board of directors, the mission of the SME Education Foundation is to serve the manufacturing community by providing support to the advancement of manufacturing education.



Since 1980, the foundation has provided more than $19 million in cash grants, scholarships and awards. Based upon industry identified competency gaps in the Manufacturing Education Plan, the Foundation has awarded over $15.5 million in grants to 30 colleges and universities in North America since 1998.



Not only does Levi Gamble cite his dad’s bicycle-powered, can-crushing machine as one of his favorite childhood engineering memories, he also credits his father with inspiring him to pursue a manufacturing engineering career.



“I was proud of him as I saw that my father could make something from an idea in his mind,” says Levi. “And that made me think that I could, too.”



With the support of the SME Family Scholarship, Levi will begin that dream this fall, majoring in manufacturing engineering technology and minoring in business management at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash. Levi’s goal is to own and operate his own manufacturing business. Levi graduated with honors from Heritage Christian School in San Diego. In addition to earning exceptional grades and taking a heavy load of advanced math and science courses, Levi has already begun compiling a manufacturing engineering resume, with work at Quatro Composites, where he has worked in several areas of the manufacturing process for the past four years.



Children or grandchildren of SME members are eligible for the Family Scholarship. It provides up to $20,000 annually, renewable up to three times based on continued academic excellence, for a total award of up to $80,000. The recipient must be a graduating high school senior or undergraduate student with no more than 30 credit hours, maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, have a minimum SAT score of 1,000 or ACT of 21 and be pursuing a degree in manufacturing engineering, technology or a closely related engineering field of study at an accredited college or university in the United States or Canada.



About the SME Directors Scholarship and Recipients
Monica Denis of Clarkston, Mich., will graduate in 2008 with a dual degree in industrial and mechanical engineering from Kettering University. After graduation, Monica plans to continue her studies with a master’s degree in business at the University of Michigan, and then she intends to go to work at a place where she can “make a difference.”



“I want to be able to improve the efficiency of the company,” says Monica. “Whether it is through shortening standard time on a specific machine, rotating operators to produce the most production per hour, creating the most efficient layout for machinery locations or making sure operations are within ergonomic windows.”



In addition to working several campus jobs to help pay her tuition, Monica has also honed her professional skills in numerous internships at General Motors’ Toledo powertrain plant and structural development labs. Monica devotes her spare time to numerous associations and organizations, such as the Society of Women Engineers for which she has served as vice president and president, SME and the Institute of Industrial Engineers.



Tristan Wagner of Portland, Ore., will graduate from Oregon State University in the fall of 2008 with a dual bachelor’s degree in manufacturing and industrial engineering. He plans to spend his career bringing his two passions — engineering and the environment — together.



“After reading the book ‘Natural Capitalism,’” says Tristan, “I was inspired by its many examples of companies that, through improving their environmental performance, had also dramatically improved their profits. I decided that the field of manufacturing engineering offered me the best opportunity to contribute to society and pursue my ideals.”



A member of Oregon State’s Honors College, Tristan works part-time to help fund his education and also devotes his extracurricular time to numerous organizations such as SME, serving as his student chapter’s secretary for the past two years, and Oregon State’s Student Sustainability Initiative, which he serves as a board member, and through which he will be serving two six-month internships at regional manufacturing companies in the upcoming year.



The Directors Scholarship supports an undergraduate student enrolled in a college or engineering degree program in manufacturing in the United States or Canada. The recipient must have an overall minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, have completed at least 30 college credit hours and demonstrate leadership skills in a community, academic or professional environment.



About the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world's leading professional society supporting manufacturing education. Through its member programs, publications, expositions and professional development resources, SME promotes an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and helps keep manufacturing professionals up to date on leading trends and technologies. Headquartered in Michigan, SME influences more than a half million manufacturing engineers and executives annually. The society has members in 70 countries and is supported by a network of hundreds of chapters worldwide.

Students use vouchers to take ACT for free

An ACT college entrance exam score of 26 may be outstanding for some students, but for high school junior Todd Cheney it's not good enough.

The 17-year-old junior at Kelly Walsh High School is hoping to beat his brother's score of 31 when he uses his state voucher to retake the ACT for free during the June 9 testing.

Students like Cheney will have one chance to take the test for free under a new state law that requires all juniors take the test. During this past session, the state Legislature approved that as part of the success curriculum for the state's Hathaway Scholarship program.

Next year's juniors will be taking the test once for free in school. As for forcing students to take the test, state officials haven't looked at that possibility because it's not an issue yet, said Tim Lockwood, spokesman for the state Department of Education.

Special education students may be excused if their parents request it.

The new law requires students to take certain types of classes and maintain a certain grade-point average to qualify for the scholarship.

Cheney will be prepared this time when he uses his voucher. He's been working with a tutor, studying online and has an ACT preparation book.

"I didn't prepare the first time," he said. "My goal is to do better than my brother."

He also plans to continue to take the test as a senior if he doesn't beat his brother's score this time. If he does that, he will be paying for it himself.

Erin Lund, 17, and Jordan Merback, 16, both juniors at Kelly Walsh, also are preparing for the test. Lund will use her voucher to take it for the first time in June. Merback took it in February and used her voucher to get a reimbursement.

Lund has been preparing by reading ACT books from the school library, and she took the ACT practice test. She also took the PSAT last year.

"You can never really be fully prepared for this," she said.

Merback said she didn't do as well as she had hoped, but said she will try again next year and will continue to study for it.

Average scores on the ACT, which tests students in English, math, reading and science in a multiple-choice format, rose last year for the state, said Ed Colby, spokesman for ACT. In 2006, the average score was 21.6, which was up from 21.4 in the four years prior.

There were 3,871 state students tested last year, Colby said. Although all juniors have to take the test, Colby said that won't be a problem for ACT. Other states have instituted similar policies and the company has been able to meet those needs, he said.

The next national testing date for the ACT will be on April 14. The test will be at Casper College and about 320 students are registered to take it at the Wold Physical Science Center, said Kim Byrd, testing/single parent coordinator at the college.

The test will start at 8 a.m. and last until about noon, but students are asked to be at the school by 7:40 a.m. so they can be seated.

Students must register to take the test and there are deadlines that have to be followed. For the April 14 test, students had to register by March 9. For the test in June, students will have to register by May 4.

ACT offers the regular test and the ACT Plus Writing, which has a writing segment. The voucher covers the cost of the $29 regular ACT test only, Byrd said. The ACT Plus costs $43.

Although the June test will be the last nationwide testing date for this school year, Casper College will offer residual ACT testing three times during the summer. Those tests, however, are only for students who want to attend Casper College and want the Hathaway Scholarship, Byrd said.

College of Education awards scholarship to Duplin senior

Hannah Adams received the College of Education's first Educators Hall of Fame Centennial Scholarship last month. The four-year scholarship is awarded to an incoming freshman pursuing an education degree.

Adams, senior at Duplin County's James Kenan High School, has a 4.2 grade-point average. She plans to major in elementary education and return to Kenansville.

The scholarship was one of four presented in a ceremony held March 29. More than $122,000 were awarded at the event, ranging from $150 to $6,000.

Officials also announced the establishment of the James and Evelyn Kirkland Scholarship in Middle Grades Education. Its first scholarship will be offered next year.

History studied
The natural and human histories of eastern North Carolina are the topics of a seminar being presented Friday by the Departments of Geological Sciences, History and Programs of Maritime Studies and Coastal Resources Management. The symposium, part of the university's centennial celebration, is made up of a series of presentations by ECU faculty with time allowed for questions and discussion.

Topics will include the history of the Atlantic Ocean, local geology, Native American and post-contact archeology, ecosystem changes, maritime history and Hurricane Floyd. The event is from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the first-floor multipurpose room of Mendenhall Student Center. A reception will follow. A free parking pass can be obtained in advance by calling Dare Merritt at 328-6360.

Women honored
The university's Women Studies Department honored 10 of the campus' most outstanding women last month. The honorees shared the stage with author Maya Angelou, keynote speaker for the inaugural "Power and Pearls," a celebration of women's strength and leadership, sponsored by the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center and the Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Women.

Sharon Knight, associate dean of the College of Health and Human Performance, received the Dr. Linda Allred Profiles in Leadership Award. Allred, a longtime professor of psychology, died in 2005.

"It was great to see such a wide variety of disciplines represented," said Cheryl Dudasik-Wiggs, director of the Women's Studies Program and chairwoman of the nominating committee. "But more than that, we were overwhelmed with pride at the depth of passion our faculty members have for serving the broader community."

Knight, like Allred, exemplifies what it means to be a leader, a role model, and a mentor, Dudasik-Wiggs said. "She has studied women faculty's potential in academic medicine, the prevention of infant mortality, and HIV/AIDS service issues and needs among eastern North Carolina women," Wiggs said. "She has also worked for drug-free schools and with children of substance abusers."

The other women honored March 23 were:
• Dr. Margaret Bauer, Rives Chair in Southern Literature, Department of English.
• Dr. Shelia Grant Bunch, coordinator, Bachelor of Social Work Program.
• Dr. Anne Dickerson, chairwoman, Department of Occupational Therapy.
• Dr. Patricia "Pat" Dunn, coordinator, volunteer activities for international students, Global Academic Initiatives.
• Dr. Mary "Dee Dee" Glascoff, director, Community Health Program, Department of Health Education and Promotion.
• Dr. Virginia Hardy, interim Chief Diversity Officer, Brody School of Medicine interim Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and associate dean for counseling and diversity.
• Dr. Susan McCammon, professor and Director/Chairwoman, Behavioral and Social Sciences IRB, Department of Psychology
• Dr. Vivian Mott, chairwoman, Department of Counselor and Adult Education.
• Dr. Marilyn Sheerer, vice chancellor for Student Life.

Open house
Spring Open House is scheduled for Saturday. Sponsored by the admissions office, the event begins at 9 a.m. with an opening session at Wright Auditorium. Activities include an academic fair, a student life and organization fair, walking and bus tours of campus, and tours of the residence halls.

Thomas appointed
Gov. Mike Easley appointed Stephen Thomas, professor and dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences, to the North Carolina Institute of Medicine. The institute is an independent, nonprofit organization that serves as a nonpolitical source of policy analysis and advice on statewide health care issues. The purpose of the organization is to assure that complex and often controversial health issues are examined and disseminated to public sector officials with decision-making authority.

Chartered in 1983, the institute's 100 members are selected from government, education, business, health and legal professions, hospital and health insurance industries, private philanthropy and the public at large.

Thomas became dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences in 2003. Previously, he was chairman, professor and a graduate program director in the school's Department of Rehabilitation Studies. Thomas joined ECU's faculty in 1980.

Safety focus
Michelle Lieberman has been appointed the campus safety point person, making her responsible for creating a safety program for the university. Liberman, director of the Center for Off-Campus and Community Living, will be the chairwoman of a student safety and awareness task force that will identify issues and gaps in the current student safety plan. She will oversee writing a new plan, according to a news release. Liberman will report directly to Marilyn Sheerer, Vice Chancellor for Student Life.

Adult studies
The Division of Continuing Studies was honored last month for its commitment to helping adult learners. The division's Office of Continuing Professional Education received the North Carolina Adult Education Association's Creative and Innovative Program Award for its work on the "Practical Advice for Preserving Rosenwald Schools" conference.

The 2005 event brought together 68 professionals to discuss strategies to rehabilitate and preserve the historic school system founded in 1917 by Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company.

College aid tilts more to merit than to need

In college, Kaylea Happell has learned the intricate theories and practical applications of political science and international relations. And she has done it on someone else's dime.

The senior will graduate debt-free from the State University College at Brockport this spring, largely because of its Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence program. It covers tuition, room costs, mandatory fees and most meals for high school valedictorians and salutatorians with a 96 average or better and SAT scores of at least 1250.

"If you're first or second in your class, this is a pretty good deal," said the senior from Chautauqua County. "You don't have to pay for your education."

Scholarships and aid directly from colleges once were reserved for the neediest students. But increasingly over the past 20 years, schools have covered some or most of the costs for their best and brightest.

Brockport spends more than $2.5 million a year on its top merit scholarships, all of which cover huge chunks of the cost of attendance. Rochester Institute of Technology's Presidential Scholarship provides up to $10,000 a year, based on students' high school academic records and recommendations. And all freshmen admitted to St. John Fisher College are considered for Fisher merit scholarships, most of which are $8,000 to $10,000 a year.

Countless organizations and groups also offer college scholarships tied to good test scores or grades. And more than a dozen states have broad merit programs, usually offering some tuition and fee money for students with at least a B average, although New York does not.

But the growth of college "merit aid" is causing some controversy.

Hamilton College in Oneida County got national attention last month when it announced that it would end merit aid, focusing its institutional financial aid on the neediest students. Meanwhile, the University of Rochester has been scaling back how much it spends on merit aid as it boosts need-based aid.

"Merit alone isn't a problem," said Don Emmons, dean of admissions and financial aid at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. "If you're using merit money at the expense of not enough need-based money, that's where it appears to be problematic."

Growth of aid

According to a U.S. Education Department analysis of 2003-04 financial aid, more students from the richest quarter of New York families got merit grants, usually in the form of scholarships, than did families in the poorest quartile. The well-off students also got bigger merit aid packages — $5,400 on average, compared to $3,800 for the bottom quartile, the department found. Meanwhile, as need-based aid rose 41 percent nationally during the 1990s, merit aid spiked more than 200 percent, according to the National Association of State Financial Aid Administrators.

Individual colleges generally don't divulge how much they spend on merit and need-based aid because it is closely held competitive information, said Donald E. Heller, senior research associate with Pennsylvania State University's Center for the Study of Higher Education.

For the students who get scholarships for their smarts, merit aid is both a reward for effort in high school and a way to benefit the college overall.

Having more top students "pushes people to want to strive for better things, higher grades," said Ines Nam, a SUNY Brockport senior from Argentina and a Distinguished Scholars aid recipient. "Overall, it raises the level of the school."

For colleges, merit aid is also a means to attract students, most of whom apply to multiple colleges and sometimes negotiate the best financial aid packages from competing schools.

At Nazareth College, where 23 percent of the school's financial aid goes to "no need" or merit students, "the money is not necessarily being taken away from somebody else," said Tom DaRin, vice president for enrollment management.

"If we went solely need-based, do we have the resources to meet the full need of our applicants? The answer is no," he said. "We are trying to take the dollars we have and spread them out among as many students as we can impact."

Rolling back

At Hamilton, the cut in merit aid means more money going toward need-based aid, said Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid. However, it won't be a huge change; the college estimates that about 5 percent of its $21 million financial aid budget was spent on merit aid.

"Everybody who gets into Hamilton is a high-level student, has a high-level GPA," Inzer said. "There's been this reaction from bloggers and different people to say this means you're going to take money from hardworking great students and give it to other people who don't work hard and are poor. They're all great students."

Whether other schools follow Hamilton's lead, "it's really early to say," said John R. Smith, associate director of financial aid at Roberts Wesleyan College.

Four years ago, UR was spending more than a third of its $9 million aid budget on merit aid, said Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jonathan Burdick. Today, the university is spending roughly $2 million of a $19 million aid budget, with the rest going for need-based aid. "We're pretty aggressive that some low-income students are going to have access to this place," Burdick said.

UR has stopped providing an automatic $5,000 to every New York resident who attends. It also has ended a commitment to give a scholarship to every high-performing student, and about 80 percent of UR's incoming students qualify now.

"It made no sense to be locking in a scholarship program for virtually the entire pool of applicants," Burdick said. "We still give scholarships to a lot of the best students."

Brockport started its array of merit scholarships about a decade ago, and they probably played a role in making admission to the college increasingly competitive, said J. Scott Atkinson, director of financial aid.

The fall 2003 freshman class, which included Happell and another current senior, Erin Doring, helped move Brockport into Tier 2 of SUNY's ranking of selectivity, up from Tier 3.

Doring, 22, of Colonie, Albany County, was already a fan of SUNY Brockport, seeing it as not too big and not too small with a good psychology program. But the Presidential Scholarship she was offered meant other schools fell by the wayside.

As one of four sisters in college, "I wanted to help in whatever way I could" with the costs, said Doring. "In my mind, I felt like I needed (the scholarship). In reality, maybe not."

Happell was more interested in UR but would have faced $22,000 in loans yearly: "I went, 'Huh, free school.' The idea of not having any (debt) after four years ... was pretty good."

Scholarship Gala to Honor Chostner, Moore

Two Puebloans and a Foundation that has benefited numerous community entities will receive President’s Medallions for Distinguished Service as part of the 2007 President’s Scholarship Gala to be held on Friday, April 27. The evening’s theme, “Dreamcatchers,” focuses on raising funds to lessen the barriers that may keep students from achieving their dreams.

The Gala will begin at 6 p.m. in the Occhiato University Center Hearthwell Lounge with cocktails, a silent auction, and performances by The Thundering Earth Singers and The Many Rivers Singers and Groupo Tochli. The entire evening’s expenses are underwritten by donors, guaranteeing that all proceeds directly benefit future generations of CSU-Pueblo students through merit scholarships. Major underwriters include, Community Banks of Colorado, Legacy Bank, My Friend the Printer, RMC Distributing, and U.S. Bank.

Dreamcatchers generally symbolize the web of life, capturing good ideas while filtering bad thoughts out through a center hole. A Native American theme will permeate the event reflected in the evening’s décor, cuisine, entertainment, and silent auction selections.

After dinner, CSU-Pueblo President Joseph Garcia will present community member Jeff Chostner, former Library Dean Beverly Moore, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation with President’s Medallions for Distinguished Service. The President’s Medallion recognizes individuals or organizations that set high standards of ethics and values to serve as examples for CSU-Pueblo students and the campus community as a whole through their profession, exceptional service, and/or contributions to humanity. Recipients must support the University’s continual progress toward future goals and achievements and/or make significant contributions as an advocate of post secondary education.

According to Garcia, Jeff Chostner’s actions reflect a desire to better this community and the region. Chostner publicly supports the business sector, education, the arts, and athletics, and the impact of his generous contributions of time and financial resources to the University has been wide spread. Chostner will receive the President’s Medallion for Distinguished Service to the Community.

“By establishing the Julietta Chostner math scholarship in his mother’s honor, Chostner stands as a role model for all to emulate by allowing future generations of students an opportunity to find success,” Garcia said. “Chostner also has inspired students through his willingness to serve this country in the Air Force and the community through the City Council and now the County Commission.”

Athletics Director Joe Folda said he would consider Beverly Moore to be “the number one fan of Thunderwolves athletics” based on her attendance at men’s and women’s athletic events and her financial generosity. Moore has contributed more than $25,000 since 1985 to the Thunderwolf athletic program, Colorado Music Fest, and the Pueblo Symphony. In more than three decades with the University Library, she exhibited significant leadership and dedication to the success of University students and faculty alike. Moore will receive the President’s Medallion for Distinguished Service to the University.

Since 1982, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation has awarded $14.6 million through 821 grants to 191 organizations working across the spectrum of community needs in Pueblo County. In the past three years, an average of 51 grants has been made annually from a budget of $800,000 per year. The Foundation will receive the President’s Medallion for Distinguished Service to Education.

The Packard Foundation has funded nearly $800,000 in grants since 1987 to projects all across the CSU-Pueblo campus from the Buell Communications Center and Hasan Amphitheatre to Colorado Music Fest, the HSB Healy Center, and our First-Year Experience Project. The local grantmaking program in Pueblo, where David Packard was born and raised, has been a part of the Foundation’s work since 1977. The mission of the program is to enrich the lives of local residents, working in partnership with nonprofits and community leaders. Since 1985, about 13 percent of grant budgets, or nearly $2 million, has gone to educational entities in Pueblo County, including the CSU-Pueblo Foundation, Pueblo Community College, Pueblo City Schools, and Pueblo School District 70.

Tickets for the 2006 President’s Scholarship Gala are $100 per person or $1,000 for a corporate table of 8. To participate as an attendee or a silent auction contributor, contact the CSU-Pueblo Foundation at 719-549-2442.