Southeast announces new needs-based scholarship

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — On Tuesday, Southeast Missouri State University announced a new scholarship that will help make higher education more affordable and accessible throughout the state.

The new Will To Do Award is a need-based scholarship to fill the gap in eligible Pell students’ unmet tuition and general fees beginning in fall 2020. University officials say the new scholarship underscores Southeast’s commitment to providing financial support to students who need it most while also boosting efforts to support Missouri’s college completion goals.

Will To Do Award recipients will pay $0 in tuition and general fees to attend Southeast.

“There is a growing achievement gap on colleges campuses and right here in Missouri. We recognize the urgency in assisting our most financially at-risk students and are allocating our resources to better provide access to higher education in this area,” said Dr. Carlos Vargas, president of Southeast Missouri State University. “We are delighted to provide this foundation for students as they start their college careers to give them the sound footing needed to succeed while hopefully reducing their financial stress.”

Eligible Pell Grant students who are Missouri residents with a minimum 2.75 high school grade point average and who will be enrolled full time as beginning freshmen in fall 2020 are eligible for the scholarship.

The award is automatic; no scholarship application is necessary. Students must only have a FAFSA on file by March 1, 2020, and verification and special circumstances must be completed by July 31, 2020.

The Will To Do Award will be stackable with other Southeast scholarship offerings and also is renewable provided students meet deadline and eligibility requirements, maintain a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average and annually complete 24 Southeast credit hours.

At Southeast, 39% of first-time college students qualify for a Federal Pell Grant. Of those, 70% are first generation college students.

While the Federal Pell Grant provides $6,195 annually for higher education, it is not sufficient to cover a student’s total college expenses.

“That’s where the Will To Do Award comes in – it’s a mechanism to bridge that divide,” Vargas said.

The Will To Do Award is expected to expand access to higher education throughout Missouri. University officials say they believe the award will go a long way towards the state of Missouri’s goal of increasing the proportion of working-age adults with high-quality, affordable postsecondary credentials to 60 percent by 2025.

“Paying for college can be a challenge,” he continued. “At Southeast, we believe in the value of getting a high-quality education without the high cost.”