Jonathan Couto in class at Dickson Hall.
Hiral Patel | The Montclarion
President Susan Cole announced that Montclair State University will have a program, which will offer academically achieved first-time New Jersey freshmen a $5000 scholarship per-year.
Cole explained how the program will further the higher education at the university during her announcement.
“Our new Presidential Scholars Program invests in the intellectual growth and success of New Jersey’s youth, effectively building a stronger state of mind in the Garden State,” Cole said.
Cole noted that there is an intent to invest in the capacity of the extensive educational programs and facilities that are built since the university was named a public research university.
New Jersey applicants will have to maintain a 3.5 GPA on an unweighted 4.0 scale in high school. This standard will reward them with the $5,000 scholarship.
Vice President for Student Development and Campus Life Karen Pennington said that eligible students do not have to apply and are identified by the admissions office.
A student spoke out about the Presidential Scholars Program and how this can be beneficial to first-year freshman students.
“Honestly I wish that I had the opportunity to get the $5,000 scholarship,” said sophomore computer science major Jahmil Roland.
The scholarship is only for first-year freshman students, but that didn’t stop some non-freshman students from saying how great it would be for them to receive it.
“Any bit of money counts,” said sophomore transfer student Johnathan Couto. “Especially if it will reduce any type of money you have to loan out. If I had this opportunity, I would love it. In my case, going to a community college first was a better option. If this opportunity was offered to me, I would have gone straight to Montclair State because that pretty much pays half of your tuition.”
Jahmil Ronald in the halls of The Nursing Building.
Hiral Patel | The Montclarion
Some students have financial problems and this scholarship will help students afford higher education. Cole noted that the university plans programs that benefit students every year. The Presidential Scholarship Program was just developed this fall.
Pennington mentioned that the new program will create and offer new possibilities for many students to attend the university.
“The university already provides students with a high quality educational experience,” said Pennington. “The change I expect to see is that with this program, more students will be able to take advantage of it.”
