PR Department
The SLV Promise Award is a new award offered at Adams State University that will cover full tuition and fees for qualified students. “The top priority of Adams State University is to make education accessible, which means keeping it affordable,” President David Svaldi says.
The award applies to current Adams State students as well as incoming freshmen. The award will be available to qualified graduates of all high schools in the San Luis Valley and surrounding areas, such as Buena Vista, Salida, Walsenberg, La Veta, and Pagosa Springs. About one-third of all Adams State undergraduates are from the San Luis Valley region, noted Dr. Michael Mumper, senior vice president for Enrollment Management and Program Development.
This award will allow Adams State University to maintain the tradition of providing affordable tuition to prospective students in the Alamosa area.
Students need to have a minimum Admissions Index of 80 and qualify for a full federal Pell Grant, with Zero Expected Family Contribution. The SLV Promise Award guarantees that all qualified low-income students from the San Luis Valley and surrounding areas will receive sufficient financial aid in grants, rather than loans. The award will cover the entire cost of their tuition and fees, plus $1,350 for incidental educational expenses beginning with the 2013-2014 academic year.
The SLV Promise Award will use institutional funds to supplement students’ Pell and Colorado Student Grant awards. The SLV Promise Award also comes at a time with an implementation of stricter eligibility policies for federal financial aid. 150 Adams State students lost all Pell grant eligibility last year. Students in higher education across the state of Colorado have seen their financial aid drop by 21 percent since 2008.
“Aid is being reduced while tuition goes up, negatively impacting low and middle-income students,” Svaldi says. “For example, a few years ago, a local student who lived at home could pay their entire Adams State tuition and fees if they qualified for the full Pell grant. Next year, the full Pell award will be almost $2,000 short of covering that expense. And because of changes in eligibility, fewer students qualify for the full Pell grant. The SLV Promise Award was designed to fill that gap for the most needy students in Adams State’s core service area.”
Eric Velasquez is a freshman engineering major from Garcia, Colorado, and a first-generation student who will benefit from the SLV Promise Award. “This will help a lot. Even though I am low income and received other scholarships, I still had to take a loan to cover this year’s costs.”
Alamosa High School senior Gaspar Lucas is also looking forward to receiving the award. Lucas plans to utilize the SLV Promise Award towards a biology or chemistry degree at Adams State next year.
To qualify, new and continuing students must:
Be eligible for full Pell Grant, or, the FASFA shows an Expected Family Contribution of Zero
Have an admission index of 80. An 80 Index Score is equivalent to a 2.4 high school GPA combined with a 19 ACT or 900 composite SAT score. Lower ACT/SAT scores can be combined with higher GPAs in order to reach an 80 Index Score, and vice versa.
Be admitted to ASU and be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (2.0 GPA & 75% completion)
Complete the FAFSA by June 1
Register for full-time fall classes by July 1
Be a graduate of one of the 24 SLV-region high schools:
Alamosa High
Alamosa Open High
Antonito High
Byron Syring
Delta Center
Centauri High
Centennial High
Center High
Creede High
Crestone Charter
Del Norte High
Horizons Exploratory
Academy
Moffat High
Monte Vista High
Mountain Valley High
Sanford High
Sangre de Cristo
Sargent High
Sierra Grande High
John Mall High
La Veta High
Pagosa Springs High
Buena Vista High
Chaffe County High
Salida High
Students from these schools are also eligible for Grizzly Partner Award, which provides a discounted dorm and meal plan rate worth $3,200 (a 40% discount).
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