ENSURING THAT STUDENTS WHO ASPIRE TO ACHIEVE, CAN NEED-AND MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS Students today face numerous academic, personal, and social demands. As an upshot of their impressive academic acumen, high-achieving students especially tend to place equally high expectations on themselves, striving to succeed regardless of what it costs to do so. At Western, we believe that financial burdens should never dictate a student’s successful path toward graduation. Unfortunately, a growing number of highly qualified students struggle to select Western as their academic home or continue their studies once on campus due to financial strains. Currently, more than 30 percent of the students at Western are solely responsible for the cost of their education. Despite uneven financial support at the state level,
Western continues to meet 45 percent of tuition costs for students with high financial need and 32 percent of tuition costs for students with moderate financial need. But it is not enough. The average student at Western still requires $9,000 in additional financial support to bridge the gap between their family’s ability to pay and the actual cost of attendance. This need, and the number of students expected to demonstrate this need in the future, is only projected to grow. Through ELEVATE WESTERN, we will raise philanthropic support for NEEDAND MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS to help alleviate financial hardship on students, improve retention, and enhance the overall learner experience.