Every scholarship changes a life. Some scholarships also have a significant impact on the universities that grant them. Missouri S&T’s new Rolla Rising Scholarships are a shining example of that. You might even call them “Miner magnets.”
Whether a student is an aspiring astronaut seeking a degree in aerospace engineering, a student-athlete who plans to attend medical school, or a history major with a calling to teach, Rolla Rising Scholarships give S&T the flexibility to recruit top students, regardless of major, class year or geographic area.
This past fall, Missouri S&T launched a campaign to raise $1 million in support of Rolla Rising Scholarships. Every gift of $25,000 or more in support of the scholarships will be matched dollar for dollar through $500,000 in matching funding provided by generous donors.
This focus on Rolla Rising Scholarships addresses a critical need: the flexibility to recruit from the broadest possible pool of prospective students.
“S&T scholarship support for seniors is nearly four times greater than that available to freshmen,” says Joan Nesbitt, vice chancellor for university advancement. “This means we lose top freshmen to other schools. Rolla Rising Scholarships will help to bridge that gap.”
The new scholarships will also give S&T a much-needed recruiting advantage in competing with peer institutions that offer larger financial aid packages.
“A recent survey of students admitted to S&T who enrolled elsewhere clearly shows that scholarship support is often the deciding factor,” says Chancellor Cheryl B. Schrader. “We are losing students with a strong interest in S&T to peer institutions offering greater financial aid packages. Rolla Rising Scholarships will help us compete for these top students.”
For more information contact Tory Verkamp, executive director of development, at 573-341-4490 or victoriav@mst.edu.
Making a difference
Rolla Rising Scholarships will increase Missouri S&T’s recruiting competitiveness by:
- Supporting undergraduate students in all majors and class years.
- Providing the flexibility to compete for top students with peer institutions that offer larger scholarship packages.
- Creating additional scholarships for first-year students (renewable until they graduate).
- Fostering a strong student body balanced by diverse majors, backgrounds and interests.
- Increasing the “extraordinary access” underscored in Missouri S&T’s strategic plan.