A&M-Central Texas Awarded $1.56 Million for Warrior Scholars Program

Greater Texas Foundation (GTF) awarded $1.56 million to Texas A&M University—Central Texas to benefit Early College High School students who transition to the university to complete their bachelor’s degree.

The grant will fund the GTF Warrior Scholar’s Program scheduled to launch in the fall of 2023 with a goal of 40 ECHS students enrolled in the first five cohorts. Students qualifying for the program will receive scholarship assistance of at least $2,000 per year for up to three years. The grant is part of GTF’s initiative to increase the number of high school graduates who persist to a college degree or post-secondary credential. Scholars will also be included in learning communities where they benefit from relationships with other students and take part in special workshops designed specifically for them. The workshops will focus on student success initiatives such as leadership development, financial literacy, and more.

Interested students can apply for the scholarship on the A&M—Central Texas website.

Clifton Jones, assistant vice president for enrollment management at A&M—Central Texas, said the grant money will be a great benefit to students attending the university.

“This is a great opportunity for high school students who already have college credit to enroll in the university and continue their education,” Jones said. “We are excited to partner with Greater Texas Foundation in this effort to provide resources that helps ECHS alumni graduate on time and with less debt.”

A&M—Central Texas is uniquely positioned to work with ECHS students. As the state’s only upper-division university, students come to A&M—Central Texas with at least 30 hours of college credit. Students with fewer than 30 hours can apply and will receive additional information and degree planning assistance to help them reach the required number of hours.

ECHS students earning an associate’s degree in high school can transition to A&M—Central Texas immediately. Many complete their bachelor’s degree within two years of graduating high school. The grant funding allows for a third year, however, in case students need to take additional pre-requisite courses prior to full enrollment in an A&M—Central Texas degree program.

Jones said the university is currently developing materials, information plans and processes to identify and communicate with students eligible for the GTF Warrior Scholars Program.

A&M—Central Texas is one of the most affordable universities in the state. Students graduating from TAMUCT on average spend less than $20,000 on tuition and fees for a bachelor’s degree by completing their first two years at a community college. This cost is even lower for ECHS students who benefit from programs that discount the cost of college courses at the high school level. A&M—Central Texas also offers other financial aid and scholarship programs that significantly cut the out-of-pocket cost for students.

Established in 1981, Greater Texas Foundation has funded more than $121 million in grants, partnering with 77 colleges and universities throughout the state. Visit the GTF website at greatertexasfoundation.org.

For more information on the GRTF Warrior Scholarship Program, contact Texas A&M University—Central Texas at www.tamuct.edu/gtfwarriorscholars or 254-279-0421.