FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT AT UWF

UWF serves a high proportion of first generation students who have substantial financial needs. In an effort to ease the financial burden on these students, UWF established the First Generation Scholarship in 2006. The scholarship was created in response to the state of Florida's new First Generation Matching Grant Program, which was established to help increase the number of first generation college students attending Florida's public universities. The program sets a maximum match amount for each state university every year, and in 2008/2009, UWF received its maximum match from the state of $195,000.

During the spring 2009 semester, 428 UWF students received the First Generation Scholarship. Nick Garner is one of these students. With boundless energy, Nick is a self-professed overachiever. A senior majoring in organizational communication, Nick plays several roles on campus, from student ambassador, orientation leader, student government association representative, to founding father of the Lambda Beta Chapter for UWF’s Sigma Chi Fraternity and more. But the most significant role that Nick has inherited is being a first generation college student. The first to attend college in his family, Nick is living his dreams and certainly making his parents proud.

“The first generation scholarship has not only afforded me with the financial means to attend college, which would ordinarily be out of my reach,” said Nick, “but it also has provided me the opportunity to take on leadership roles on campus.” Nick has volunteered more than 900 hours during his time at UWF. “I am blessed to be in college and I believe I should be giving back to those who are less fortunate.”

To be eligible to receive the First Generation Scholarship, a student's parents must not have earned bachelor's degrees or the student had to have been raised by a single parent who did not earn an undergraduate degree. Students must also be Florida residents and be classified as degree-seeking. Scholarships are first awarded to qualified students with the greatest need.

"This is a great opportunity for individuals and businesses to make a meaningful gift that is matched by the state," said Dean Van Galen, vice president for University Advancement.