Oct. 1, 2019— Missouri Western State University will launch a scholarship program next year that automatically renews and increases in value each year. The Griffon Guarantee Scholarship will be offered to qualifying incoming freshmen and transfer students beginning during the fall 2020 semester.
“Our new scholarship program invests in our students in two innovative ways not typically seen at other universities,” said President Matt Wilson. “Not only will the Griffon Guarantee Scholarship encourage academic progress toward graduation by rewarding students with automatic scholarship increases, but it will also protect students who may experience an unexpected or temporary drop in grades caused by a tough transition to college or unexpected circumstances.”
The Griffon Guarantee Scholarship differs from previous Missouri Western programs and from scholarships at other institutions in the following ways:
- Annual scholarship renewal is guaranteed for students who remain in good academic standing (minimum 2.0 GPA).
- Automatic upgrades to scholarship amounts. Recipients will receive an additional $1000 at the 30-credit mark, $500 at the 60-credit mark, and $500 at the 90-credit mark, meaning that recipients will receive $2,000 more in their fourth year of school than they did in the first year.
The base first-year award for the Griffon Guarantee Scholarship will range from $500 to $6,500 for incoming freshmen and $500 to $1,500 for transfer students. With the automatic renewal and upgrades, the scholarship will provide students up to $4,500 in additional aid over the course of eight semesters.
To qualify, incoming freshmen must have a high school GPA of at least 3.0 and ACT score of at least 19. Also, students with a lower ACT score may be eligible depending on their GPA. Transfer students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and at least 12 credit hours will qualify for the Griffon Guarantee Scholarship.
At other institutions, President Wilson has helped spearhead creative financial aid approaches to support student success and increase student retention. This will be the case at Missouri Western as well. “For students and parents, the protections afforded by a guaranteed scholarship combined with the prospect of automatic financial upgrades will benefit families and facilitate degree completion,” Wilson said.
Full details are available at missouriwestern.edu/finaid/griff-guarantee.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.