Pacific Union College Expands Scholarship Opportunities

Pacific Union College is expanding the scholarships it offers in two important areas. PUC's academic scholarships will now be renewable and will be larger in size. The college is also offering scholarships to students working in summer ministry.

Pacific Union College's academic scholarships, with the exception of National Merit scholarships, have previously been awarded for the freshman year only. They were based on the student's academy or high school GPA. The new academic scholarships are also given to freshmen based on their high school or academy GPA, but students can renew them each year by keeping up their grades at Pacific Union College. The scholarships have been enlarged as well: Previously, a freshman could receive a one-time scholarship of up to $1,950 for having a high school GPA of 3.75-4.0. Now, he or she can receive a renewable scholarship worth up to $4,000 over four years. Beginning in the fall of 1998, all students who are maintaining high GPAs at Pacific Union College will be eligible to qualify for the renewable academic scholarships for their remaining college years, even if their GPAs were originally too low to qualify.

"I think it sounds like a very good idea," said Lary Taylor, associate professor of business administration and chair of Pacific Union College's academic senate. "It allows students who could get a scholarship for their first year to continue in it for the next three years."

In addition to expanding its academic scholarships, Pacific Union College is introducing scholarships for students who work in summer ministries, including summer youth pastors, summer literature evangelists, and youth camp workers. The college will match up to 50% of the money students earn during the summer and apply to their college accounts for the upcoming academic year. This is a substantial enlargement of a scholarship previously available only to youth camp workers and limited to $300.

"We're doing this because of the tremendous leadership experience students receive in summer ministry," said John Collins, vice president for student life and enrollment management and dean of students. "We want to encourage student leaders to be involved in the mission of the church."