Governor tours the state promoting new scholarship program
The road to a college degree might have a few less hills and pot holes as a new program to help student’s finance college.
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt came to Western on March 21 to promote a new Financial Aid program, Access Missouri.
Blunt has been touring the state and talking to educators and students about his plan to at least double funding for need based scholarships.
Blunt claimed that Access Missouri program will raise the number of students who are receiving aid under the current program from approximately 200 to 1800.
“Education is my highest priority, and I will continue to enhance opportunities for all Missouri’s students,” Blunt said in a news release.
Blunt went on to say that the new funding for the scholarships would greatly expand students’ access to college and higher education opportunities.
President Scanlon was also in attendance; he introduced the governor and also introduced Lacey Wible, Western freshman and business major. Wible made a speech in favor of the Access Missouri program. She spoke about how Access Missouri would benefit her and would help students like herself to afford college.
State Senator Charlie Shields was also in attendance and spoke on behalf of the program.
“Senate is committed to this program.” Shields said. “This is a bi-partisan issue, both parties are in support of the program.”
According to a news release Western’s department of Financial Aid reported that the current program serves approximately 17,000 students. The new program is expected to serve an estimated 36,000 students.
Access Missouri is just a proposal for now and is going through legislation to become effective. Access Missouri will offer a scholarship solution that will level the playing field for all applicants and ensure that Missouri’s neediest students receive aid. It will also make it easier for Missouri families to plan for college because the scholarship will be more predictable.
Funding for Access Missouri will come from the state. Blunt stated that there is now a surplus in the state’s funding.
“We have a $300 million surplus from controlled spending and influx of taxes,” Blunt said.
Blunt suggested an increase in needs based scholarship funding, taking the current program from $27.5 million to more than $72.5 million.