Apr. 3, 2006 — A $1.2 million donation from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation will fund 30 new scholarships at the University of Utah. The scholarships are earmarked for incoming freshman students from throughout the state of Utah who have shown academic excellence and financial need. Valued at nearly $9,000 per student annually, the awards will cover tuition, fees, books and on-campus housing for the students’ first two years of study at the University. The first George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Scholars will be awarded this spring for students entering the U next fall.
University Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs David W. Pershing notes, “This generous gift will allow the U to offer a significantly greater number of outstanding students scholarship support, with the emphasis on helping them earn a degree in four years. Funding for scholarships continues to be one of our major needs at the U, so this is tremendously exciting.”
The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Scholarships will focus on assisting a mix of outstanding students from Utah’s cities and rural communities who might not attend the University because of financial constraints. The U will work to combine the Eccles Scholarships with additional resources to enhance the opportunity for student involvement in living/learning programs.
According to Lisa Eccles, executive director and board member of the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, “We want to give more students the opportunity to earn their degrees in a timely fashion. With fewer financial worries, they can focus on their studies and participate more in student life at the U,” she added. “We are pleased to invest in higher education for these outstanding students as we believe they are the leaders of tomorrow who will contribute to their families, communities and our state in important ways.”
To be eligible for the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Scholarships, students must graduate from a Utah high school with a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) or higher. Preference will be given to students who have completed a rigorous high school curriculum, taking four years of English and math and three years of laboratory science and social studies.
Once awarded, Eccles Scholars will be required to maintain full-time student status, with at least a 3.5 GPA as well as meet any other academic standards within their disciplines. Performance will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis at the end of the freshman year before renewing the award for the second year. After two years of demonstrated academic performance, Eccles Scholars who have made overall progress toward their degree will be eligible to receive continued tuition support from the University for their third and fourth years.
For more information on the Eccles Scholarships, call the University Financial Aid and Scholarships Office at 801-581-6211 or visit http://www.sa.utah.edu/finance/.