Contents
President Announces Strategic Initiatives for FY2001 and FY2002
New State Scholarships to Benefit Transfers from Carroll
Book Fair Set for November 11th
Self Study Completed, Team to Visit November 12-15
Enrollment Increases Over 13 Percent
Stock Gifts Make End-of-year Tax Sense
The Learning- centered College
New State Scholarships to Benefit Transfers from Carroll
Transferring to a four-year school in Maryland may be a more affordable option for students of Carroll and other community colleges across the state, now that Governor Parris N. Glendening has signed into law a bill that creates a new scholarship program for academically successful and income-eligible transfer students.
The recently enacted state legislation, officially entitled “HOPE for Nontraditional Students — Community College Transfer Scholarship Program,” expands Maryland’s current HOPE Scholarship Program to include funding targeted for high-achieving community college students from around the state who want to attend four year schools in Maryland. The new program will provide $3,000 per academic school year to qualified students.
“This latest Maryland HOPE scholarship is another innovative tool that further supports our overall goal of making sure that all Marylanders, regardless of income, can have access to the pursuit of a four-year degree,” said Governor Glendening. “Having begun my higher education experience at a community college, I have a personal understanding of how beneficial this scholarship program will be to a deserving transfer student.”
The new transfer scholarships should help to remedy an inequity in the state’s current scholarship program that seems to favor incoming freshman students over transfer students, in terms of the distribution of funds. Data from the University System of Maryland indicates that little more than 20 percent of all full-time transfer students enrolled in University of Maryland schools in 1997 received scholarships, while approximately half of the freshmen class qualified for scholarships.
Noted lead House sponsor, Delegate Ann Healey (Prince George’s County): “I’m very happy about this scholarship. It’s something that really assists students who don’t get an opportunity through other scholarship programs and it helps people who need a second chance. It really is hope for the non-traditional student and I’m thrilled that it passed.”
Senator Michael Collins (Baltimore County), the lead Senate sponsor, said, “We knew this bill was important because of the number of community college students who came to Annapolis to talk to us about the scholarship. Knowing that these students have little free time — often balancing college with work and family obligations — to come to Annapolis to lobby for the bill showed this is clearly a crucial issue for students.”
More than half of all Maryland students seeking undergraduate degrees begin their collegiate careers at community colleges. Those students often continue their studies in Maryland. More than 6,000 community college students transfer to a Maryland four-year public institution each year.
The actual number of transfer scholarships available will depend on the amount of funding recommended by the Governor and approved by the Maryland General Assembly in next year’s state operating budget. The first scholarships will be available to transferring students beginning in the fall of 2001.
To qualify for these transfer scholarships, students must: 1) have been enrolled as a Maryland resident at a Maryland community college for at least 60 credits and/or earned an associate’s degree; 2) have earned a 3.0 GPA; 3) be accepted at a Maryland four-year institution; 4) have a family income of $80,000 or less; and 5) agree to work in Maryland after they complete college, for at least the number of years that they received a transfer scholarship.
