Money Talks

Vanderbilt University has announced that, beginning in 2009–2010, it is eliminating need-based loans and replacing them with institutionally provided grants and scholarships for current and incoming students.

This follows an announcement by Boston University on September 22 that the institution is replacing need-based loans with grants for Boston residents who graduate from Boston public schools and are admitted to BU beginning in fall 2009.

To National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities’ (NAICU) knowledge, these are the first two new major student aid initiatives announced for 2009–10. They are the latest in a wave of campus affordability innovations that have swept higher education in the past year.

NAICU is tracking campus affordability innovations on its Website at http://www.naicu.edu/affordability.

This site also lists initiatives that were started in the 2008–09 academic year, which include:

Russell Durgin Military Service Scholarship Program

New England College in Henniker, N.H., was founded in 1946 to serve the educational needs of the service men and women returning home at the close of World War II. The G.I. Bill, introduced at the time to finance postsecondary education, revolutionized the educational process, created a wealth of opportunities for our veterans, and contributed to what many have described as “the greatest generation.”

Honoring the principles upon which the college was founded and the service of the men and women of the armed forces, New England College has instituted the Russell Durgin Military Service Scholarship Program. The purpose of the scholarship is to bridge the financial gap between the costs of undergraduate tuition at the college and the benefits available through the G.I. Bill. Through this program, New England College aspires to create the same opportunities enjoyed by veterans of WWII for the men and women who have recently served in the military.

The scholarship’s namesake, Russell Durgin, was a lifelong resident of Henniker, N.H., home of New England College. He entered the service at 17 after graduating from a local high school and during his military career earned two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart and an Army Commendation medal. Russell was killed in action while on tour in Afghanistan in June 2006. While his hometown of Henniker will always remember Russell as “the boy with the smile,” New England College is honored to perpetuate his name through the scholarship program and by providing his fellow service men and women with educational opportunities that might not otherwise have been available.

Capella University Awards $100,000 in Military Scholarships

Capella University, an accredited, fully online university that has built its reputation by providing quality graduate education for working adults, has awarded $100,000 in military scholarships. Approximately 16 percent of Capella’s 23,700 students are affiliated with the military.

“Capella offers these scholarships to recognize the service and sacrifice of our servicemembers, veterans and their families. We understand the challenges that they face as they balance their military commitments with their pursuit of higher education,” said Nicole Lovald, who leads Capella’s armed forces support team. In total, Capella awarded 20 scholarships worth $5,000 each to active duty personnel, veterans, military spouses and Department of Defense employees. The scholarships can be put toward any of Capella’s online degree programs, which include business, information technology, education, human services, psychology, public health and public safety.

“Capella University reaches out and truly makes it easy for members of the armed forces to enroll,” said scholarship recipient Brian Reed.

Western Governors University to Continue its Own Spouses to Teachers Scholarship Program

Western Governors University (www.wgu.edu) will continue to offer scholarships for military spouses wishing to become teachers through its own WGU Spouses to Teachers Scholarship program. WGU’s unique accredited, online competency-based degrees have proven a great fit for many active-duty, reserve, and National Guard military members and their spouses. WGU has awarded over 150 scholarships to military spouses.

The Spouses to Teachers program, managed through the Department of Education and the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), ended September 30, 2008. Only spouses registered by this date will be eligible for reimbursement until March 30, 2009. WGU’s scholarships are valued up to $7,500 and can be used to earn initial teacher certification through the Teachers College at WGU. The WGU Teachers College is among the largest teacher colleges providing online teaching degrees, with graduates who have become licensed teachers in nearly every state. It is the only exclusively online teacher education institution to be accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Multiple scholarships will be awarded based upon a candidate’s academic record, readiness for online study and current competency, plus other considerations.

Stratford University Offers Special Tuition Rates for all Active Military Personnel

Stratford University has announced that it will now offer a special tuition rate to active military personnel. Servicemen and women who enroll in undergraduate or graduate programs at the university are eligible to receive a tuition rate of $750 per 4.5-credit course, about half the cost of the standard tuition rate. This military tuition cap will open the door to many military personnel who are qualified to receive funding toward a university degree.

“Offering the military rate is our way of thanking those brave individuals who are currently serving in the military,” said Mary Ann Shurtz, executive vice president for Stratford University. “Because the costs of the courses are completely covered with the tuition reimbursement, all that the student needs to pay for are their books, laboratory fees and any extra costs they may incur for special courses.”

Stratford University, located in the heart of northern Virginia and just a few miles from Washington, D.C., offers two campus locations: Tysons Corner and Woodbridge. “Stratford University is the ideal school for someone in the military,” added Shurtz. “Open year round, Stratford is unlike a traditional college setting and the courses are structured so that students can enroll and immediately begin focusing on earning a degree. And if they are unable to attend classes on campus, they may consider enrolling in a graduate or undergraduate online program.”

Stratford University offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in technology, business administration, software engineering, computer information systems, digital design and network management, culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, hospitality management, hotel and restaurant management, and allied health. The university also offers a certificate program for event management and culinary workshops are available to the public on an ongoing basis. ♦