Aug. 2, 2007

UWF ANNOUNCES FIRST ARGO SCHOLARS

PENSACOLA - The University of West Florida announced the Pensacola High School (PHS) students who are the first participants in the ARGO Scholars Program. They are Miguel Aldahondo, Rhonda Barfield Turi Clausell and Dasom Bae. The ARGO Scholars Program offers mentoring and scholarship support to selected PHS students of high potential who also face financial or other barriers to success. ARGO Scholars are identified in the tenth grade and are supported and mentored through their high school careers. Over the next two years, UWF will seek to build a $1 million endowment fund to provide scholars who attend UWF scholarship support that, when combined with other sources of aid, will pay for all tuition, room and board and book expenses, as well as fund a study-abroad experience.
"The ARGO Scholars program is unique because it not only provides mentoring, but academic and scholarship support, opportunities to learn leadership skills, and exposure to cultural events - all with the intent to help provide the scholars with the skills necessary to succeed in college and life." said UWF President John Cavanaugh.

The ARGO Scholars partnership between UWF and PHS was developed based on dialogue with PHS teachers, parents, guidance counselors and administrators. Supported by a leadership gift of $100,000 from Bank of America and other significant contributions to date, the long-term partnership will make a difference in uplifting and providing opportunity to promising PHS students.

Each year, four tenth grade students will be selected as ARGO Scholars resulting in 12 PHS students participating in the program on an annual basis. Scholars who choose to attend UWF will receive financial support and will serve as mentors to high school ARGO Scholars at PHS. PHS is a natural partner for UWF in launching the ARGO Scholars Program. When the ARGO Scholars Program was established, PHS had been identified by the federal government as the only Title One high school in Escambia County and was ranked by "Newsweek" as eighth in the nation for offering challenging courses at the high school level.  PHS is the home of the International Baccalaureate Program and has more than 1500 students.

For more information, contact the UWF Division of Development at (850) 474-2758.