Clearing the Path to College
PathwayOregon Honors Pledge to Help Every Qualified Oregonian Attend the University of Oregon
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Thanks to private gifts, the university is making good on its promise that all qualified Oregonians will have the chance to earn a degree. In January, President Dave Frohnmayer announced a new scholarship program that will make it possible.
PathwayOregon will cover any remaining tuition costs not picked up by federal and state financial aid. Starting in fall 2008, 400 lower-income students will be able to attend the UO—without borrowing.
PathwayOregon is the first program of its kind in Oregon. Nationally, there are similar scholarships. Few, if any, offer the same level of academic support.
For students with a Federal Pell Grant, PathwayOregon closes the gap between the financial support they receive and the total cost of tuition and fees. A select group of exceptional students will also get funding for meals and housing.
But it takes more than financial support to ensure student success. More than one-third of low-income UO undergraduates are also first-generation college students. PathwayOregon addresses their needs through innovative support programs.
Individual attention works
In 2007, the Pell Institute released Demography Is Not Destiny , a report on the results of an extensive study of low-income college students at large public universities. What worked for ensuring graduation for such students? Comprehensive advising, individual attention, and basic skill support.
By applying this research, PathwayOregon gives students the keys to success. From their first class to the day they don a cap and gown, students will work closely with advisers and attend practical workshops. To continue receiving support, students must meet benchmarks along the road to a degree.
Investment in state’s future
An investment in PathwayOregon is an investment in our state’s future, Frohnmayer says, adding that the results, some tangible and others immeasurable, will reach across Oregon and across future generations.
A current gift of $8,000 will name a PathwayOregon scholar for one year. An endowed gift of $200,000 will name a scholar each year in perpetuity.
— Ed Dorsch
