New Scholarship Program Targets High Achievers in Nebraska
The University of Nebraska (NU) is officially expanding its Presidential Scholars Program, offering full-ride scholarships to up to 50 top-performing Nebraska students. This expansion will include students who score between 32 and 35 on the ACT, in addition to those who achieve a perfect score of 36.
Scholarship Details
The Presidential Scholars Program covers the full cost of attendance for Nebraska undergraduates, including tuition, fees, housing, food, and personal expenses for up to four years. Additionally, students receive a $5,000 annual stipend. The program is designed to keep the state’s brightest students in Nebraska and provide them with an opportunity to excel academically without financial barriers.
Who Qualifies?
To qualify, Nebraska students must score at least 32 on the ACT (or its SAT equivalent). The first 17 students who scored a perfect 36 on the ACT were awarded the scholarship for the fall semester. The program will now extend to the next highest scorers in the 32-35 range, ensuring that up to 50 students annually can benefit.
Motivation Behind the Scholarship
The initiative was created to address concerns that Nebraska students might be leaving the state for college, especially those with top academic achievements. By offering these full-ride scholarships, NU aims to encourage high-performing students to attend college within the state and contribute to Nebraska’s future.
Governor Jim Pillen emphasized the importance of retaining the state’s best and brightest, saying, “When our brightest make the commitment to attend an institution of higher learning in Nebraska, then it is more likely they will stay.”
Funding and Future Expansion
The program was initially funded with a $5 million endowment and has received additional funding requests from the NU Board of Regents. The board is asking for a $3 million increase in the state’s budget to help expand the program over the next two years. The state legislature will debate this request in the spring.
NU President Jeffrey Gold highlighted that this scholarship initiative is an investment in the state’s future, noting it reflects Nebraska’s core values of hard work and excellence.
Application Process
Eligible students can now apply for the Presidential Scholars Program. More information is available at nebraska.edu/presidential-scholars.
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