| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| DATE: | December 6 , 2006 |
| CONTACT: | Margaret Dechant 361.825.5951; or Steve Paschal, 361.825.2336 |
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Receives Grant to Expand Houston Area Students’ Access to College Education |
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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi today (Wednesday, Dec. 6) received a $102,500 grant from the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TGSLC) to help fund the cost of a college education for first-generation low-to-moderate, income students from the Houston area.
The “Need to Succeed Grant” will help defray the cost of attending A&M-Corpus Christi for 25 deserving under-represented students. Selected students will receive $2,000 per semester, a total of $4,000, for the 2007-2008 academic year. This financial aid will allow students to reduce their dependence on student loans and help cover other unmet needs.
To qualify for the “Need to Succeed Grant” first-generation students must rank in the top 25 percent of their class and be eligible for a federal Pell Grant. They must also agree to participate in the University’s “Succeed!” program to assure student success and retention. This program includes money management/financial literacy and study habits seminars, and tutoring services from the University’s award-winning tutoring center.
“Houston has the fastest growing Hispanic population in the state and, as a result, has the greatest number of students who are falling behind,” said Margaret Dechant, the University’s associate vice president for Enrollment Management. “Most first-generation students are not exposed to the concept of furthering his or her education after high school, and many of them are unaware of the benefits of earning a postsecondary degree because their surroundings do not provide them with examples of success.”
For more than a quarter-century, the non-profit TGSLA has ensured that low-interest educational loans and grants are available to help students reach their career goals. Beyond its fundamental goal as a student loan guarantor, the TGLSA provides resources to help students plan, prepare and pay for college at no cost to them or their families.
“We believe that everyone who aspires to a college degree should have the opportunity to do so,” said TGSLA President/CEO Sue McMillin. “We are pleased that we can help educational partners and like-minded organizations reach out to students and families.”