Gov. Wolf Pushes New Scholarship Plan during LHU Visit
Record photo – Jeannine Lipez
LOCK HAVEN – Gov. Tom Wolf selected Lock Haven University Wednesday to begin a public push for his proposal to establish a new scholarship program for state system students.
Wolf’s visit launched a tour of the 14 state-owned universities to advance his Nellie Bly Scholarship Program, what the governor termed a historic $204 million need-based scholarship for students in the state school system. He said the proposal, part of Wolf’s recently announced state budget for next year, would close the gap remaining after a student’s Pell Grant and other state grants to enroll in one of the state-owned schools.
Nellie Bly was a noted pioneering journalist who helped to force reforms to the mental health care system in the early 20th century. She was a native of Armstrong County and attended then Indiana Normal School but left because of the cost.
Wolf’s proposal would take $204 million from the state’s Horse Racing Development Fund and provide scholarship assistance for up to 25,000 of the 96,000 students at the PASSHE schools, including Lock Haven University.
In return for the scholarship, Wolf said, students must commit to live in Pennsylvania after graduation for the same number of years they received the scholarship; if a student leaves the state early, the money must be repaid.
He noted the average student in the state system finishes schooling with a debt of more than $34,000, second highest in the nation. He said that would equate to paying $391 a month for 10 years.
LHU President Robert Pignatello talked of the access to a college degree, stating it “leads to life-changing opportunities…but for too many of them the cost is beyond their reach.” He said the Nellie Bly program “makes a valuable investment in the students and the future economic vitality of the commonwealth.”
Also speaking was Kalista Swartz, an LHU senior from Juniata County and the first member of her family to attend college. She talked favorably of the opportunity presented by the Nellie Bly proposal and said she hopes to continue her education in the masters program at LHU next school year. Gov. Wolf said if the proposal receives legislative approval, it is hoped to have it in place by this fall.
