North Star Promise Scholarship Program

Craig Sanderson, director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, is pleased with the NSP. “It’s reducing indebtedness, it’s helping students with the higher costs that are out there and giving them another option to pay for college… which we like to see,” he said.

Students enrolled in higher cost programs, such as nursing, dental hygiene and aviation, can benefit greatly from this scholarship and may receive higher scholarship totals. Additionally, this scholarship can be particularly helpful for non-traditional undergraduate students who file as an independent on the FAFSA and have an adjusted gross income less than $80,000.

The number of students qualifying for this scholarship highlights the significant financial need of many students at Minnesota State Mankato. This scholarship program helps with the cost of school; however, it does not cover any additional living expenses such as housing or food, which is where much of student debt comes from for college students. Other students are not wanting to borrow, or take out loans, resulting in the need to work two or three jobs to cover living expenses. Between scholarships like the NSP and donor support for other expenses, students can avoid needing to work multiple jobs and improve overall well-being with more time to focus on their studies.

“For funding from donors to come in and help with those other expenses, it can help those students maybe avoid a second or third job,” Sanderson said.  He adds that “it is important to note factoring in those additional costs, and what students are doing today with finances and the need to work more, so that [scholarships and donations] just helps them reduce their workload and focus on their studies, which is what we all want.”

Sanderson encourages all students to complete the FAFSA application to see what resources are available to them from the financial aid programs run by the federal and state governments and to determine what they might be eligible for, including the NSP. His office can help students who need it.

“[Financial Aid Services] is here to help. There’s lots of information to know about financial aid. Our Campus Hub staff are friendly and professional and know a lot about financial aid,” he says. “We also have financial aid advisors to assist families in completing the FASFA or answer any questions about financing their education. We’re here to help students and families understand how to go about securing these resources to help them with their education.”

 

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