The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Awards $5,000,000 in Scholarships to 254 Graduating Seniors
April 10, 2008
Needs-Based Dell Scholars Program Recognizes Low-Income Students Who Have a Determination to Succeed
AUSTIN, Texas – As part of a scholarship program unique in the type of students it supports and how it fosters those students on their path to a college degree, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation’s Dell Scholars Program today awarded 254 new Dell Scholars with $5,000,000 in scholarship funds. To date, the Dell Scholars program has awarded 950 scholarships and paid out $14 million in scholarship funds.
Dell Scholars will receive $20,000 each to continue their higher education for the next six years. In addition, the Dell Scholars program provides its students with technology, resources and mentoring to ensure they have the support they need to obtain a college degree. The additional resources have contributed to the program’s retention rate of 89 percent, well above the national average of 22 percent for these students.
“The Dell Scholars program is more than a check,” said Kevin Byrne, Director, Dell Scholars at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. “Rather, we try to provide our scholars with everything they need to begin and finish college. These students are low-income or financially underserved students who are better than their numbers may indicate in GPAs or test scores, and have overcome some significant obstacles to pursue their education. We want to help them fulfill their dreams and break the cycle of poverty through a college education.”
Most of the Dell Scholars are first-generation college students, and are chosen because they participate in an approved college readiness program and maintain at least a 2.4 grade point average on a 4.0 scale while dealing with personal responsibilities at home or in their communities. Requirements also include graduation from an accredited high school, demonstrated financial need and intent to enter a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited higher education institution in the fall. The Dell Scholars program uses its custom-built software with a sophisticated algorithm that helps predict a student’s propensity to graduate from college based on several factors, despite the personal challenges these determined, low-income students must address in their lives.
For a complete listing of the 2008 Dell Scholars, go to www.dellscholars.org.
April 10, 2008
Needs-Based Dell Scholars Program Recognizes Low-Income Students Who Have a Determination to Succeed
AUSTIN, Texas – As part of a scholarship program unique in the type of students it supports and how it fosters those students on their path to a college degree, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation’s Dell Scholars Program today awarded 254 new Dell Scholars with $5,000,000 in scholarship funds. To date, the Dell Scholars program has awarded 950 scholarships and paid out $14 million in scholarship funds.
Dell Scholars will receive $20,000 each to continue their higher education for the next six years. In addition, the Dell Scholars program provides its students with technology, resources and mentoring to ensure they have the support they need to obtain a college degree. The additional resources have contributed to the program’s retention rate of 89 percent, well above the national average of 22 percent for these students.
“The Dell Scholars program is more than a check,” said Kevin Byrne, Director, Dell Scholars at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. “Rather, we try to provide our scholars with everything they need to begin and finish college. These students are low-income or financially underserved students who are better than their numbers may indicate in GPAs or test scores, and have overcome some significant obstacles to pursue their education. We want to help them fulfill their dreams and break the cycle of poverty through a college education.”
Most of the Dell Scholars are first-generation college students, and are chosen because they participate in an approved college readiness program and maintain at least a 2.4 grade point average on a 4.0 scale while dealing with personal responsibilities at home or in their communities. Requirements also include graduation from an accredited high school, demonstrated financial need and intent to enter a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited higher education institution in the fall. The Dell Scholars program uses its custom-built software with a sophisticated algorithm that helps predict a student’s propensity to graduate from college based on several factors, despite the personal challenges these determined, low-income students must address in their lives.
For a complete listing of the 2008 Dell Scholars, go to www.dellscholars.org.