UWF welcomes 80 “Top 5” scholars

For 80 University of West Florida freshman students, getting good grades has brightened their futures. UWF just awarded them with “Top Five” Academic Merit Scholarships. The new scholarship program implemented at UWF for the 2009-2010 academic year rewards students who earned a class rank of number one through five after the first semester of their senior year of high school in Florida public schools.

“This is part of an effort to make a quality university education accessible, as well as recruit and reward top-performing students in the state of Florida,” said Judy Bense, UWF president. “We are delighted to welcome these top scholars to UWF.”

Through the scholarship program, first-time-in-college qualifying freshmen who meet the academic requirements and enroll at UWF automatically receive the merit scholarship, which covers the tuition and associated fees of the student’s bachelor’s degree or 120 semester hours of credit, whichever comes first. Students who also receive the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship may use those funds to cover the remaining costs of the college experience, including on-campus housing, transportation, a meal plan and/or books.

“Based upon an average full-time student taking 15 hours per semester, each ‘Top Five’ Academic Merit Scholar received approximately $4,212 this year,” said Kim Bryan, director of Admissions. “UWF is thrilled to be able to offer this kind of support to deserving students.”

“You just can’t say no to 100 percent paid tuition at a college near the world’s best beaches,” said UWF Academic Merit Scholar Luke Killam.

In addition to the newly established “Top Five” scholarship, UWF continues to offer the John C. Pace Jr. Pace Scholars Award. Established 16 years ago by a bequest from the late John C. Pace, Jr., this is the most prestigious award the university offers to qualified full-time incoming freshman students. To qualify, students must submit a separate application, which includes an essay and letters of recommendation. UWF also considers students’ academic qualifications, test scores, school and community leadership and volunteer service. Six scholars were selected for the 2009-2010 academic school year. Each will receive $5,000 annually, totaling $20,000 over four years while attending UWF. Over the past three years, 24 UWF students have benefited from this award. In all, last year UWF awarded more than $35 million in financial aid, 3,562 grants, 4,084 loans and 4,227 scholarships.

Unique to the Pace scholarship award is the opportunity for each scholar to participate in an educational enhancement experience during one of the summers the recipient is classified as a UWF-upper division student. Examples of summer experiences include internships in Washington, D.C., Art Studies in Italy, mission work in China and environmental research in Australia.

For more information on UWF scholarship opportunities, visit uwf.edu/admissions/scholarships.cfm or contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at (850) 474-2230, 1-800-263-1074 or e-mail admissions@uwf.edu.

Written by Lauren Smith, University Marketing Communications