June 15 is a very important date to circle on the calendar.
That's the deadline to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, which provides approximately 30,000 scholarships each year to in-state residents.
The scholarship is funded by the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. It provides tuition assistance to students at every state college, university and two-year technical school--both public and private.
It matters not whether the student has just graduated from high school, is currently enrolled in college, or is a nontraditional student who may be going back to school to get the degree they've always wanted.
Our state is diverse, and so are our colleges--designed to prepare a work force for a multitude of careers in industry, service, technical, medical, education, business and science. I often tell students and parents that any formal education after high school is college. Thankfully, our state recognizes the efforts of students who want to improve their quality of life by offering incentives and scholarships such as the Academic Challenge.
Students are more likely to drop out of college during the first year than any other time. If we can help students persevere through the first year, the impact on our state is incredibly positive.
Money is awarded based on a tiered system. Students enrolled in four-year institutions can receive $1,000 for the first year. Those who stay in school are rewarded thereafter with $4,000 for their sophomore and junior years and $5,000 for the senior year. At two-year institutions and approved nursing schools, students receive $1,000 for the first year and $3,000 for the second.
In short, students are rewarded for staying and succeeding in higher education whether they are seeking a four-year undergraduate degree in business administration, for instance, or a two-year associate degree in welding.
But that's not all. During the recent regular session of the Arkansas General Assembly, lawmakers allowed for the Academic Challenge Scholarship to be applied toward graduate-level course studies as well. It's Act 597, and I consider it a major step forward in encouraging students to pursue the highest levels in education they wish.
It is also important to note that the Academic Challenge Scholarship can be combined with financial aid programs such as the ARFuture grant established by Gov. Asa Hutchinson and also passed this past regular legislative session.
It's very easy to apply and to qualify for the Academic Challenge scholarship. Eligibility requirements for undergraduates are simple: One must be a traditional incoming freshman, a current college student or a nontraditional student; have a minimum ACT score of 19; still be in pursuit of one's first baccalaureate degree; and maintain a 2.5 grade-point average.
Applications are found at the Department of Higher Education's website, which is scholarships.adhe.edu. There, one will find a link to the YOUniversal Scholarship Application. There is also a free app for your phone.
Arkansas is fortunate to have a program that represents an investment in the lives of students and in the economic future of the state we all love.
Every time you spend a few dollars for the enjoyment of playing the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, you are helping fund a brighter future for an Arkansas student. That's something in which we should all take pride.
So remember June 15--the deadline to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. Don't wait until the last minute.
Go ahead and apply now!
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Dr. Maria Markham is the director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Editorial on 05/30/2017