Dec. 18, 2020–Missouri Western State University will expand its scholarship for A+ certified high school graduates from Missouri.

“A+ students are committed to their education and good citizens of their community, and they have a lot to contribute to the vitality of our campus,” said Dr. Melissa Mace, vice president for enrollment management. 

Missouri students who are A+ certified have attended a designated high school with a minimum grade point average of 2.5, an attendance record of at least 95 percent, performed at least 50 hours of unpaid tutoring or mentoring, maintained a record of good citizenship by avoiding illegal drug and alcohol use, and achieved a score of proficient or advanced on an end-of-course exam in mathematics.

Those students will receive an A+ scholarship of at least $500 per year, with additional scholarship amounts earned based on performance on the ACT/SAT (up to $850 A+ scholarship dollars per academic year). Students who earn the A+ certified stamp on their transcript are also eligible for Missouri Western’s Griffon Guarantee Scholarship, so their scholarship will grow as long as they remain enrolled full time with a minimum GPA of 2.0.

The expansion of Missouri Western’s A+ Scholarship was in response to conversations that Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, interim president, had with guidance counselors from area high schools.

“I wanted to hear from counselors how we could make Missouri Western more attractive to the students graduating from their schools, and expanding our A+ Scholarship was a consistent theme,” said Dr. Kennedy. “Students make quite a commitment to earn A+ certification, and I’m very pleased that we will be able to reward their efforts through this enhanced scholarship opportunity.”

Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. 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.