Scholarships for Texas Residents
Submitted by: Jack Falks, Chris Elam and Mae Dunn-St. Julien
USA Funds Services, (866) 497-8723, Option 5

USA Funds® has awarded 277 new and renewal scholarships totaling $408,750 to deserving college-bound students in Texas. The scholarships assist students in financial need — particularly those who are members of ethnic minority groups or are physically disabled — as they finance their higher education.

The new scholarship recipients were chosen from more than 14,000 applications from students planning to enroll or currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs at accredited two- or four-year colleges, universities or vocational/technical schools.

The awards included 86 new scholarships totaling $129,000 and 132 renewal scholarships totaling $191,250 to Texas residents under USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships™. In addition, USA Funds awarded $88,500 to 59 Texas students through Help America Learn™ Scholarships.

USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships provide each full-time undergraduate and graduate student with an award of $1,500; each half-time undergraduate receives $750. Students who maintain grade-point averages of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale may receive renewal scholarships annually until the students receive their final degrees or certificates, or until the total award to a student reaches $6,000, whichever comes first.

Help America Learn Scholarships are one-time awards of $1,500 to full-time students. Scholarship America, the nation’s largest private-sector scholarship and educational-support organization, administers the program.

For a list of scholarship recipients, visit www.usafunds.org/Borrowers/access_to_education_scholarship.html on the USA Funds Web site. Information about USA Funds’ 2004 scholarship program will be posted on the USA Funds Web site — www.usafunds.org — beginning Oct. 1.