CHARLESTON -
The Promise Scholarship is something high school students across the state shoot for, and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin is celebrating their achievements.
Tomblin met with policy makers, higher education officials and Promise scholars from across the state at a reception Tuesday, May 29, to celebrate the program's success. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the program's inception. It was launched in 2002 under former Gov. Bob Wise, and more than 32,000 West Virginia high school students have been awarded the scholarship through the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission with $315 million provided to help those students attend college.
Tomblin said that was a wise investment.
"Ten years ago, West Virginia made a promise to its young people: If you work hard, earn good grades and fully commit to pursuing a college education in our state, we will help you pay for a college education," said Tomblin, who served as Senate president at the time the program launched. "That promise is paying off today for students and their families, but more importantly for our state. Research shows that receiving the Promise Scholarship helps ensure that our students graduate from college because the program requires students to maintain a high grade point average and take a rigorous course load."
High school students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average and score a 22 composite on the ACT or 1020 on the SAT, with sufficient scores in sub tests. To keep the scholarship, students in college must maintain a 2.75 grade point average the first year and a 3.0 grade point average every year after. Students must also complete 30 credit hours a year to maintain the scholarship.
Kay Goodwin, secretary of the Department of Education and the Arts, said the program changed the way students and parents think about college.
"Promise changed the conversation about college," she said. "The scholarship reframed the way families think about college by helping them recognize the opportunities that are available in West Virginia and by putting a college education within reach. In removing many of the financial barriers associated with pursuing post secondary education, we have empowered our young people to take charge of their futures."
The Promise Scholarship can be used at all public two-year and four-year institutions in West Virginia, as well as many private colleges. For information about the Promise Scholarship and other financial aid programs, visit www.cfwv.com.
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