Boise State University is offering a new scholarship to Idaho students who live in rural communities. President Marlene Tromp announced the Future Forward Scholarship during Boise State Day at the Capitol Tuesday morning.
College graduates earn an average of $1 million more over the course of their lives than those who don’t have a degree, and studies show they spend more time with their families and give more back to their communities, Dr. Tromp said.
“As someone who grew up in a small town in Wyoming, I understand how little support institutions across the nation have provided for rural students,” she said. “This scholarship will not only transform the lives of these students, but it will have a tremendous impact on their communities.”
Dr. Tromp has challenged the Boise State campus community to serve rural Idaho communities across the state with educational programs and financial assistance that meet their unique needs. The university also recently announced a rural education pilot project, in partnership with Mountain Home, McCall and Payette, to identify and help meet educational needs in those communities.
“Boise State has a profound commitment to the state of Idaho and an enormous impact through the students we prepare, the kinds of programs we offer and the kinds of research that we do — research that changes lives,” she said. “Students from all across the state, whether they are in rural or urban areas, should have access to all of that.”
The Future Forward scholarship is a $1,000 award for Idaho high school students who have been admitted for fall of 2020. These students must live in rural communities, have a GPA of at least 3.0 and have financial need, as determined by the Boise State Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.
The scholarship is the first of its kind at Boise State. Combined with additional scholarship strategies, it will mean Boise State will offer 400 more Idaho students a scholarship than it did last year.
Dr. Tromp and Boise State student leaders were joined Tuesday by Gov. Brad Little, who signed a declaration stating that Feb. 18, 2020, is “Boise State Day in Idaho.” He said education is a key part of the “magic mix that we need to keep the momentum going in Idaho.”