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OGDEN, Utah (AP) — The president of Weber State University has announced a $10 million scholarship initiative will soon be accessible for students encountering financial difficulties.
President Brad Mortensen made the announcement Tuesday in Ogden at his inauguration ceremony as the university’s 13th president, Standard-Examiner reported.
The scholarship called ’CATapult was designed to provide an energetic boost of momentum to students who are near completion but have encountered exhaustion and adversity, university officials said.
About 1,000 students halfway toward their degrees were short on tuition and fees in fall 2018 representing about 3.5% of 28,247 students enrolled that semester, officials said. University officials expect that percentage to increase as enrollment increases.
Fundraising has begun for the scholarship and officials expect to earn $10 million by July 1 and award the first scholarship recipients this year, officials said.
Any current student who is showing progress toward a degree or certificate can be considered for the award, officials said. The scholarship could even exceed tuition and fee amounts, officials said.
Mortensen was named president in December 2018.
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