A scholarship will be offered to students coming from a moderate to low income family. Next fall, students will be able to receive a scholarship from the USA Funds totaling $1,500 for the year. The application is due Monday Feb. 16, 2009, and students can access the application at usafunds.org/scholarship.

Students can receive this scholarship if their family income is $35,000 or less. Students of an ethnic minority or those who have a physical disability will be given special consideration for this scholarship. Targeting a family with an income $35,000 or less is important to USA Funds.

“Federal research shows that children coming from families that make less than $35,000 are less likely to attend college,” Bob Murray, vice president of Corporate Communications at USA Funds, said.
USA Funds will be selecting 667 students for this scholarship in the coming year.

This type of scholarship is important for students to further their knowledge and hopefully go on to a better career.

“It was Malcolm X who said, ‘Education is our passport to the future; for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.’” Richard Egley, dean of students at UW-Platteville said of why this scholarship is important for students. This scholarship is also trying to keep minorities in school, especially at time when paying for school is truly difficult.
“I know of a recent study that reported that it can take up to 90 percent of the income of family with a low income to support a family member who is attending college,” Egley said.

Students that receive this scholarship or have received it in the past are allowed to receive it again. The scholarship does have a $6,000 cap.