"Cash4College" aims to entice transfer students

In April, Texas A&M University-Commerce launched Cash4College, a state-funded scholarship program that targets new undergraduate and graduate students in certain disciplines.

According the Cash4College web page: "Cash4College is a Texas A&M University-Commerce scholarship program open to eligible graduate candidates and undergraduate candidates who have not attended Texas A&M University-Commerce before."
According to Vice-President for Student Access and Success Dr. Mary Hendrix, "The Cash4College initiative is a special initiative designed to maximize our base funding from the sate."

Hendrix said each state university receives "performance incentive funds," which are allocated based on an institution's performance on "key indicators" such as retention, graduation rate and time to degree.

A&M-Commerce President Dan Jones has approved use of these incentive funds for scholarships.

"These scholarships are targeted as classifications and degree programs that will generate the most weighted funding for the next two years," Hendrix said. "For example, we receive more funding from the state for master's and doctoral programs and for degree programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)."

The Cash4College initiative will continue through the Spring 2011 semester, with scholarships being awarded to approximately 300 students, according to Hendrix.

"We are providing 50 two-year, $2,500 per semester scholarships for students transferring to our university and majoring in the STEM disciplines," she said. "We are investing $1,000 for 50 of our current students who want to pursue their graduate degrees. The remaining scholarships will target over 200 graduate students."

According to Hendrix, students transferring to A&M-Commerce for the Fall 2010 semester who are majoring in a STEM discipline have been notified of Cash4College scholarship opportunities.

For further information contact Dr. Hendrix at Mary_Hendrix@tamu-commerce.edu. Cash4College scholarship requirements and applications can be found at tamu-commerce.edu/admissions/tuitionCosts/financialAid/cash4College/scholarshipProgram.