Bill Stanczykiewicz is president and CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute. His column appears in Indiana newspapers.
A high percentage of low-income students are at big risk of losing their college scholarships.
The students participate in the state of Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program, which provides low-income students with as much as $10,000 a year for four years to attend a college or university in Indiana. After enrolling in middle school, students have needed good grades (a GPA of 2.5 or higher) and good behavior (including staying drug- and alcohol-free) to receive the scholarship.
However, new rules from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education now require 12 additional steps for earning the scholarship. The new requirements, known as the Scholar Success Program, apply to Scholars who started high school in 2013 or later.
The list includes fundamental activities such as creating a specific high school graduation plan, participating in an extracurricular activity, taking a career interest assessment, completing the Indiana College Cost Estimator, searching for college funding and visiting a postsecondary campus.
Students need to complete the entire Scholar Success Program while in high school to receive the 21st Century Scholarship. Thus far, only 18 percent of participating Scholars are on track to fulfill these new requirements.
Indiana Commission for Higher Education associate commissioner Jason Bearce notes that scholars graduate from high school and attend college at higher rates than the state average for all students. However, only 33 percent of scholars earn an associate degree in three years or a bachelor’s degree in six years, far less than the state average of 42 percent for all students.
“We found that many of the students in the program have not had sufficient preparation — whether that be academic, social or financial preparation,” Bearce said.
“In fact, we meet some students who do not remember that they’re even in the program until their senior year of high school. So we want to give students a clear road map they can follow (for college success).”
Bearce added that the 12 requirements of the Scholar Success Program are basic steps all students should take. “To some extent this might be more impactful to a student’s success than the scholarship itself.”
The commission is sending information directly to scholars and their families as well as to schools to remind and encourage eligible students to complete the Scholar Success Program. Bearce said the commission also is asking community organizations, faith-based ministries, employers and service clubs to help students meet all 12 requirements.
One of those community organizations is Project Leadership, which serves scholars in Grant and Delaware counties. Program director Tammy Pearson has developed specific activities to help students satisfy the scholarship requirements such as introducing students to extracurricular activities, conducting career assessments, having computer labs for students to search for scholarships and submit financial aid forms, and hosting events helping students complete college applications.
Pearson said community organizations need to develop trusting relationships with students and then be persistent.
“You can’t replace the value of a relationship, someone who is there as a supporter,” Pearson insisted.
Community organizations interested in helping low-income students fulfill the Scholar Success Program and earn a scholarship can learn more at scholars.in.gov.