Spring Break
Access Initiative welcomes first class
Drew T. Dorner
Issue date: 8/31/07 Section: Campus
A year after its inception, the Miami Access Initiative has, according to university officials, increased the socioeconomic diversity of Miami University.
Chuck Knepfle, director of financial assistance at Miami, said the program, designed to award scholarships to students whose combined family adjusted gross income is less than $35,000, has been successful.
"We were hoping for a 25 percent increase in students enrolled in this category and we have exceeded that," Knepfle said. "It looks to be a little over 200 students (receiving Access Initiative funds), but we won't have an official count until three weeks into the term."
According to the Office of Student Financial Assistance's Web site, the Miami Access Initiative guarantees scholarship and grant funds to eligible students, meeting or exceeding the cost of tuition and fees at Miami.
In addition to the Access Initiative funds, students can also receive outside scholarships and grants to further increase their financial aid package.
The program is restricted to in-state students.
Knepfle said the initiative began shortly after Miami received a gift of more then $10 million from the estate of alumna Lois Klawon. He added that the Office of Student Financial Assistance had known the donation was coming since February 2006.
"The stipulation in the will was that it went toward financially needy students in the form of scholarships," Knepfle said.
Current Miami students receiving Access Initiative funds are subject to one additional requirement to maintain their standing within the program-meetings with faculty mentors to assist in the transition from high school to college, Knepfle said.
He added that there are also grade point average expectations.
"We're asking them to keep a 2.5 GPA," he said.
In addition to the mentoring program, students benefiting from the Access Initiative are invited to participate in programs designed for all university students.
Chuck Knepfle, director of financial assistance at Miami, said the program, designed to award scholarships to students whose combined family adjusted gross income is less than $35,000, has been successful.
"We were hoping for a 25 percent increase in students enrolled in this category and we have exceeded that," Knepfle said. "It looks to be a little over 200 students (receiving Access Initiative funds), but we won't have an official count until three weeks into the term."
According to the Office of Student Financial Assistance's Web site, the Miami Access Initiative guarantees scholarship and grant funds to eligible students, meeting or exceeding the cost of tuition and fees at Miami.
In addition to the Access Initiative funds, students can also receive outside scholarships and grants to further increase their financial aid package.
The program is restricted to in-state students.
Knepfle said the initiative began shortly after Miami received a gift of more then $10 million from the estate of alumna Lois Klawon. He added that the Office of Student Financial Assistance had known the donation was coming since February 2006.
"The stipulation in the will was that it went toward financially needy students in the form of scholarships," Knepfle said.
Current Miami students receiving Access Initiative funds are subject to one additional requirement to maintain their standing within the program-meetings with faculty mentors to assist in the transition from high school to college, Knepfle said.
He added that there are also grade point average expectations.
"We're asking them to keep a 2.5 GPA," he said.
In addition to the mentoring program, students benefiting from the Access Initiative are invited to participate in programs designed for all university students.
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