Governor Tom Wolf visited Riversid Junior/Senior High School in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 4 to propose a $240 million scholarship program that would allow for more students to graduate college on time with less debt.
The program will assist lower and middle-class students attending one of the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities (PASSHE.)
The scholarship was named in honor of Nellie Bly. Bly was an Pennsylvania native born in 1864 who enforced a movement improving reforms to mental health systems. Due to cost, Bly left what we now know as Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Students paying for expensive tuition’s would prevent them from obtaining future necessities. For example, buying a car, a home, and saving money for retirement.
Anyone is eligible for the
scholarship if they meet the criteria, though the program has a few requirements that participants must abide by.
Students must attend an undergraduate program at one of the PASSHE universities and qualify for a federal subsidized student loan.
Students must also stay within the state after graduating the same amount of years the scholarship is given to them. If they choose to leave the state, the scholarship must be paid back in full.
Steve Brady, a 20-year-old Business Administration major from Doylestown said, “I like this idea. It seems to be almost like a government loan because of the rule of living in the state after you graduate for a certain number of years which will allow the money to help students afford it during times they may not have the income.”
Michael Murphy, a former Bucks graduate, said, “That’s fair. The scholarship is designed to help the Pennsylvania economy and using it as an out of state reward is taking advantage of the incentive.”
Another factor that falls under the programs requirements is that students must be full time. Melissa Novak, a former Bucks student said,“Tom Wolf should give half the scholarship to students who can only attend school part time.”
The scholarship also encourages student lives outside of the classroom. It will benefit students to obtain degrees and will also strengthen the workforce after expanding hands-on working experiences for students not attending college.
Connor Volb, an 18-year-old Sports Management major from Fairless Hills said, “This scholarship increases opportunity not only for young adults attending school but adults who go straight into the workforce.”
The program will be invested by repurposing revenues from the Horse Racing Development Fund annually.
Other costs will also be benefited. Wolf’s budget provides for grades K-12, public school funding, special education, and high-quality early childhood education.
More than 130,000 students will receive aid for the Pennsylvania State Grant and budget will increase the maximum to $4,300.
Victoria Cichonski, an 18-year-old Nursing major from Warrington said, “This is an amazing financial program due to the fact that it not only helps college students but the entire community.”
Further movements will be made by Wolf as he currently travels to other school districts in the state.