Transforming lives: Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship empowers USAO students
Since its beginnings, the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma, continually ranked for affordability, has been an institution where students can receive a high-quality education without the burden of graduating with a lot of debt.
Over the last five years, USAO has seen a steady increase, 9.8 percent, in enrollment of students receiving the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship. This past fall, 21% of the institution’s student population received the scholarship.
Oklahoma’s Promise students at USAO are also eligible for the institution’s Drover Difference scholarship, which provides $1,500 toward housing, plus basic block rate fees for four years as long as the student maintains their eligibility for Oklahoma’s Promise.
Jessica Cobbs, Avery Crawford and Jaden Johnston are just three of the exceptional Oklahoma’s Promise recipients attending USAO.
Cobbs, a business administration senior from Stigler, plans to peruse a career in marketing. She learned about Oklahoma’s Promise through her two older sisters and received help signing up from a teacher her freshman year of high school.
“I would not have been able to go to college without Oklahoma’s Promise,” said Cobbs. “I am graduating this semester and have no student debt. Many low-income students don't go to college based purely on the fact that they would have debt after college, but this program helps them not have to worry as much about that.”
Over the last three years, 54 percent of Oklahoma’s Promise students graduating from USAO have graduated with zero debt.
Senior theatre major Avery Crawford from Noble knew about the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship because of her mom who works as a public school teacher, and applied to it as soon as she could.
“Oklahoma’s Promise is what allowed me to go to college in the first place,” said Crawford. “My family has always been lower income, and Oklahoma’s Promise allows me to have this opportunity to further my education.”
Crawford plans on attending graduate school post graduation.
“Oklahoma's Promise allows so many students like me to even be at college in the first place. It covers my tuition and allows me to use other scholarships for housing, books and fees. Oklahoma's Promise is one of the most important scholarships that a student from a lower income household can get. Some students, who wouldn't be at school without Oklahoma's Promise, are here because of the program,” she said.
Johnston, from Ratliff City, knew about Oklahoma’s Promise because her mother had previously applied for her brothers. She is a senior studying music education and plans to teach at the middle or high school level after graduation.
“Oklahoma’s Promise has allowed me to go to college stress free, as I am able to support myself without putting financial stress on my family,” said Johnston. “Being able to only have to work part-time during school is a great relief for me.”
Oklahoma’s Promise is a state program that provides an opportunity for students, who meet specific criteria, to earn a tuition scholarship for college or certain programs at public career technology centers. Established in 1992 to help more Oklahoma families afford college, it was first known as the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.
To learn more about Oklahoma’s Promise, visit okpromise.org. For information about scholarships at USAO, visit usao.edu/scholarships.
About the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma
As Oklahoma’s liberal arts college, the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma provides a distinctive education in the liberal arts and sciences, supporting both its interdisciplinary core curriculum and major fields of study with superior teaching. USAO fosters diversity of thought and practice to help students realize meaningful, purposeful and productive lives as global citizens in a rapidly-changing world.