Merit Day, achievement scholarships revamped
This Saturday marks a dramatic overhaul in the way scholarships are awarded to incoming students, with an increase in the amount of money awarded and number of potential recipient students.
Achievement awards students automatically receive when they are accepted will nearly double, while students will no longer compete for departmental scholarships at the annual event known as Merit Day.
The revised event, now called President’s Recognition Day, will not include departmental interviews between students and faculty. In the past, these interviews were the determining factor in which students received departmental scholarships.
This change will not limit scholarship opportunities for students, but according to Jessica Sumpter, director of Admissions, will instead provide more financial assistance to all deserving students based on grade point average and SAT scores.
Sumpter believes this change will put less pressure on visiting students during President’s Recognition Day.
“It’s not something where they are concerned about making the right word choice in order to make it affordable to come to Waynesburg University,” said Sumpter. “I think there is going to be less stress on the students and more of an opportunity for them to make that final decision as students really start to make that decision [on where they’re attending] around this time.”
The value of the top achievement scholarship, the Founders Scholarship, has nearly doubled to $15,000 and is granted to students who achieved a grade point average of at least 3.7 and a combined SAT score of 1300 or more on critical reading and mathematics. The middle tier scholarship, the Margret Bell Miller Scholarship, is a $13,000 award granted to students with a 3.7 GPA and SAT score above 1250.
The third scholarship, the A.B. Miller, has varying criteria. Students who are outstanding in one category, either GPA or SAT scores, will receive $11,000. If students maintain a 3.7 GPA and exceed 1100 on the SATs, they will also receive this scholarship.
Sumpter said departmental scholarships were eliminated as a result of the restructuring of the automatic scholarships.
“By doing this, we are able to offer more funds to more people,” said Sumpter.
Despite these changes, visiting students will still have the opportunity to interview for the Bonner Scholarship, Ohio Honors Scholarship, Stover Scholarship and Fine Arts Scholarship. Interviews for these scholarships will take place Saturday afternoon.
Students who aren’t interviewing are presented with several sessions to attend, to learn more about Waynesburg and the overall college experience. According to Sumpter, some session themes will include financial aid, exploring major options and an activities fair showcasing various organizations on campus.
Sumpter added that morning sessions will consist of department showcases for students, a parent session with Student Services and a lunch reception with Douglas G. Lee, university president, and his wife Kathryn.
Robin King, senior vice president for Enrollment and University Relations, is hopeful President’s Recognition Day will serve a two-fold purpose. In the past, the event was meant for the staff to understand incoming students. Now, President’s Recognition Day will serve as a way for prospective students and parents who are seriously considering Waynesburg to ask questions about the university, catch a glimpse of student life and meet with teachers in their preferred fields of study, all without he stress of preparing for scholarship interviews.
“Overall, they’re going to see what their life would be as a student here and, from a parents perspective, coming in and seeing the opportunities Waynesburg has to develop their student in so many ways,” said King.
The students visiting on President’s Recognition Day have Waynesburg as a top college choice, which will lead the faculty and staff of the university to focus on sharing the best side of Waynesburg with visitors, according to King.
“The students will be very busy; they’re going to meet a lot of people and they’re going to hear a lot of things about Waynesburg,” said King. “The purpose is to help solidify that decision.”
Registration for President’s Recognition Day begins Saturday at 9 a.m.