New scholarship funds help Arizona students save for college

Arizona State University was recently awarded a third round of funding for its Earn to Learn program – bringing the total scholarship dollars to $4.5 million, which will serve more than 700 Arizona students.

ASU Earn to Learn is a unique savings program that aims to identify and assist future ASU students and their families who consider postsecondary education as a primary goal. It provides eligible, need-based students with an $8 to $1 match in scholarship monies (up to $4,000) to be used at ASU during their junior or senior year in high school, or as first-time freshman at the university.

The program is designed to help provide low- to moderate-income families in Arizona with the opportunity, motivation and institutional backing essential for them to establish a pattern of consistent saving to increase their resources to help pay for their ASU education.

"ASU Earn to Learn helps make postsecondary education an attainable goal for low-income students," said Sylvia Symonds, assistant vice president of educational outreach at ASU. "We know that financial literacy, student mentoring and college preparation play an essential role in degree attainment and success. The ASU Earn to Learn scholarship program provides all three components to eligible students and their families."

ASU launched the program in January 2013, in partnership with the Arizona-based nonprofit organization Live the Solution.

Participants interested in starting college in fall 2015 should complete the participant survey no later than Nov. 26. For complete eligibility guidelines, program requirements and a step-by-step application, visit www.AZEarnToLearn.org.