The University is reviewing the costs of tuition and student fees, to present next year’s academic tuition and fees.  Students are highly invested in this process, and we benefit greatly from the University’s resources linked to such fees. SMU believes that fostering a relationship within the Dallas Fort Worth area is necessary and will promote awareness to the surrounding communities.

The Senate Scholarship that is being proposed will reward students of high academic achievement wit in the DFW area. This scholarship is awarded by senate and funded by the six percent increase in tuition. This will have a direct and positive impact on the SMU community.

An institution with similar student aid funds is the University of Southern California. It established the Norman Toppin Student Aid Fund, which is a community-based scholarship program for students in the immediate surrounding areas.  

The eligibility requirements are: The student must demonstrate academic excellence,  complete community service hours and, economically, have a financial need for assistance to further their education. Students’ fees or a portion of these fees assist in funding the Norman Toppin Student Aid Fund. A program that is designed to market to its immediate community, reinforces the University’s mission and commitment to recruit locals to the University, affording them the opportunity to realize a better education, from a highly regarded institution and an opportunity to become marketable and competitive in the mainstream upon graduation.

This resolution will help SMU strengthen its relationship with surrounding communities and afford qualified students with limited financial resources the ability to attend SMU.

Throughout my time working with D.I.S.D as a tutor, I have noticed that many of my pupils are not familiar with SMU, even though it is not even 30 minutes away.

Also many of them believe that it is not possible to attend the University due to cost and that financial assistance is not available. Offering such a scholarship will connect our University with the surrounding communities and allow SMU to gain more awareness in these certain areas.

In order to make this scholarship available, 11 dollars will be taken from the increase in the student fees for the next academic year and will be used to form a permanent Senate Scholar program available to students from the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. Students selected for this program will be chosen by a group compromised of representatives from the Student Senate, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid.

The students eligible to apply for these funds must properly fulfill the following requirements. They would have to demonstrate a prior commitment to service and be willing to perform community service throughout their enrollment at SMU. Also student would have to have held a leadership role in a club or organization prior to attending SMU with a particular preference for experience in student government. Lastly, the student must have attained a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent and maintain that GPA in order to maintain this scholarship.

Lewis White is general member of the Communications Committee of Student Senate. He can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected].