Chancellor Lombardi announces new scholarship fund
By Dan O'Brien, Collegian Correspondent
April 16, 2003
University of Massachusetts Chancellor John V. Lombardi has announced the Chancellor's Merit Scholarship Fund, a new scholarship program targeted at outstanding high school seniors. The goal of the scholarship fund is to help the university become more competitive in selecting potential students who are enrolling in college this fall.
"We are delighted to announce this program of support for our outstanding students," said Commonwealth College Dean, Linda Slakey. "It reflects our commitment to attract and serve the state's most talented young people, which is a mission of Commonwealth College."
The scholarship fund is open to high school students applying to the University with a minimum 3.8 grade point average and SAT scores of 1450 or higher. There is no official application a student must fill out to apply. He or she must simply apply to the University and meet the criteria.
Students enrolling next year who meet the award criteria will be entered into a pool to receive the scholarship, which is aimed at students who are planning to attend the Commonwealth College, the University's public honors college. Students do not need to enroll in Commonwealth College to receive the award, which will be offered to students entering the University for the fall 2003 semester.
The four-year scholarships are valued at between $2,000 and $5,000 per year. The fund for the scholarships comes from $100,000 donated through fundraising by various donors for Lombardi's inauguration in February.
The decision to set the stakes for the scholarship high was that of Lombardi. He said that it is important for the University to be able to compete with other schools and to find the best students in the state.
"Like all of America's premier public research universities," Lombardi said. "We compete for the best students in our state, and the generosity of UMass Amherst alumni and friends makes possible the scholarship program, another enhanced opportunity for the Commonwealth's exceptional college students."
Meredith Lind, a spokeswoman of Commonwealth College, said that if more students apply for the scholarship than there are open slots, the school must look at other criteria in order to select winning applicants.
"We would be looking at leadership activities, community service, Advanced Placement classes, and research projects," Lind said, adding that the college would also be looking at other activities the student performed that qualify them as outstanding.
