UA Scholars Program celebrates 20th anniversary and �Ӱ�ԭ��n academic achievement

This month, the UA Scholars Program celebrated its 20th anniversary. Since the program’s inception, the program has benefited 8,900 UA Scholars, including an estimated 3,000 Scholars who were the first in their families to attend college.

“The UA Scholars Program has transformed higher education in �Ӱ�ԭ�� by rewarding academic achievement and attracting top �Ӱ�ԭ��n students to the University of �Ӱ�ԭ��,” said Lael Oldmixon, director of the UA Scholars Program. “Before the program was created, only about 10 percent of the state’s top high school graduates choose to attend the University of �Ӱ�ԭ��. The average is now 41 percent.”

The UA Scholars Program is a merit-based scholarship program, established in 1999 by former UA President Mark Hamilton. Students ranked in the top 10 percent of their qualified �Ӱ�ԭ�� high school receive a total of $12,000, which may be used to attend any of the University of �Ӱ�ԭ��’s 16 campuses. The Award encourages students throughout �Ӱ�ԭ�� to attend and graduate from the University of �Ӱ�ԭ��. Funding is provided by revenue from the university’s Land Grant Trust Fund.

The UA Scholars Program has been successful at attracting students from rural communities. The opportunity to attend college prepares them to become leaders in their home communities and Scholars serve as ambassadors between their communities and the university.

Recently, the �Ӱ�ԭ�� Legislature passed a that recognized the success and impact of the UA Scholars program.