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December 13, 2007

网曝门 students receive over $608,000 in Go Grant awards

In the fall of 2007, 634 University of Louisiana at Monroe students benefited from Louisiana鈥檚 new need-based college aid program known as Go Grants, earning a collective $608,722 to support their college education.

The Go Grant was proposed by Governor Kathleen Blanco and funded by the state Legislature earlier this year. The purpose of the program is to bridge the gap between the federal Pell Grant aid program and the actual cost of attending a Louisiana college or university. Therefore, the award amount can differ for each Pell eligible student. The maximum annual award amount is $2,000 for full-time students.

鈥淚t is our responsibility to make higher education programs accessible. Affordability is one critical component in opening the doors of our institutions,鈥� said UL System Executive Vice President Kim Hunter Reed. 鈥淭hese initial reports indicate there is indeed a need for this program. We continue to thank the Legislature and Governor Blanco for making these funds available to almost 4,000 of our students.鈥�

The eight campuses in the University of Louisiana System awarded a combined $3.5 million in Go Grants to students this fall in their continued efforts to increase affordability for students.

In addition to the Go Grant, UL System institutions awarded $41 million in scholarships, including other need-based aid programs. Targeting dollars for scholarships is a key strategy for supporting the UL System goal of increasing student access and success by targeting affordability.

鈥淲e want to graduate more students at a faster rate without debt. With 39 percent of our students receiving Pell Grants, the average student working 26 hours a week and average student debt at more than $18,000, the Go Grant provides a giant step forward by addressing financial barriers to college,鈥� said Reed.

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