Seahawk SOAR Offers Access to College for 500 Students
3/12/2007 2:31:32 PM
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Wilmington, N.C. - Having one's full financial need met to attend college is something most students only dream about. But for 500 University of North Carolina Wilmington students this fall, that dream is about to come true, thanks to Seahawks SOAR, a student success plan announced today by Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo. Seahawks SOAR is intended to provide the kind of support, opportunities, accessibility and responsibility students need to succeed.
Seahawks SOAR will provide 100 percent of the financial aid needed for four years for 500 students whose families' income falls within a range of up to one and a half times the poverty level as defined by the federal government. In guaranteeing to meet the financial aid need for these 500 students, UNCW is joining a growing national trend. About 40 universities nationwide have now implemented similar programs.
"This initiative was advocated by UNCW students on the Campus Initiated Tuition Increase Committee, and their maturity and concern really impressed me," said Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo. "It's important that we help make a college education accessible for as many North Carolina students as possible. Seahawk SOAR will enable us to reach out to 500 more students, to help them make the transition to college life and to encourage them to graduate on time. This is, in itself, a cost-saving measure not only for these students and their families, but also for the university and the taxpayers."
With the addition of $700,000 in new aid generated by the recent approved tuition increase, UNCW is now able to provide more financial aid than ever before. But more than financial aid, SOAR is a plan to ensure student success and timely graduation, including:
Academic support and professional advising to ensure progress toward graduation;
Undergraduate student positions funded through the Federal Work-Study program for Seahawks SOAR students in order to afford them additional avenues and opportunities to interact with faculty and staff;
Financial aid counseling to ensure Seahawks SOAR students remain eligible and do not miss critical financial aid filing dates; and
Mentoring assistance to help Seahawks SOAR students make the necessary adjustments to college life.
The anticipated yearly financial aid package for 2007-08 will be approximately $14,000 for an in-state student carrying a full load of 15 credit hours per semester. The portion of each student's yearly aid package devoted to loans will not exceed $1,000. Work study positions, amounting to approximately $2,500 of the financial aid package, will provide important opportunities for students to interact with members of the faculty and staff.
In 2005-2006, approximately 6,863 UNCW students out of a total enrollment then of 10,581 qualified for some form of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, loans, work study and subsidized housing.
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Media contacts:
Kay Ward, senior associate vice chancellor for business affairs, 910.962.3383 or wardk@uncw.edu
Terry Curran, associate provost, 910.962.3876 or currant@uncw.edu
Dana Fischetti, manager of news and media services, 910.962.7259 or fischettid@uncw.edu
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