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Twenty-first Century Scholars work toward free college tuition
January 15, 2004 | |||||
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KOKOMO, Ind.—Middle school students aren’t expected to be thinking about college, right? If it were up to the Twenty-first Century Scholars program, all seventh- and eighth-graders would be aware that they could receive free tuition to an Indiana college or university. The Scholars program, operated through the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana, offers eight semesters of free tuition to more than 80 Indiana universities, colleges and trade schools. Former Gov. Evan Bayh and the Indiana General Assembly created the Scholars program in 1990 to raise the educational goals of low- and moderate-income families in Indiana. All eligible students in the seventh and eighth grades who make and keep a pledge through high school graduation can participate in the Scholars program. The Indiana University Kokomo support site of Twenty-first Century Scholars currently serves 2,000 students in grades 7 through 12 across a seven-county region (Boone, Cass, Hamilton, Howard, Miami, Tipton and Wabash). In its first 10 years, the Scholars program has enrolled more than 90,000 students statewide. The Scholars program offers more than just tuition. It also provides tutoring, parent activities, college visits and career information designed to encourage students to stay away from drug- and alcohol-related activities and pursue higher education. Informational brochures and applications are being distributed through schools to encourage students to apply for the program. Additional enrollment-related activities include a regional parent conference to be held in April and college tours for enrolled scholars. Students who meet income and resident eligibility requirements must fill out an application form. Financial information and a parent or guardian signature also are required. Students in foster care automatically qualify for the Scholars program. Applications for the Scholars program are available to seventh and eight graders only, and can be obtained from their school guidance counselor or by calling the Indiana University Kokomo Twenty-first Century Scholars support program office at 1-800-213-0165 or by contacting www.scholars.indiana.edu. Enrollment deadline is June 30.
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