Daniels Fund Awards Scholarships and Seeks New Applicants for the College Prep Program
October 26, 2004
(Torrington, WY) Four students from Torrington, Lingle, and Southeast High Schools were the fortunate recipients of the prestigious and very valuable four-year Daniels Fund Scholarships. The number represents 20 percent total of the scholarships statewide in 2004. The Daniels Fund scholarship works in conjunction with other financial aid a student receives to provide a completely full-ride scholarship for four years to any college in the country to which the student is accepted. In addition, recipients receive a new laptop computer, a printer, and if needed, medical insurance. Recipients of the scholarship from the first cohort of students in the Daniels Fund College Prep and Scholarship Program were: Tiphanie Lofink (Torrington High School), who is attending Mesa College in Colorado, Mary Kinberg (Lingle-Ft. Laramie High School), attending Union College in Tennessee, Mallory Zimmerer (Southeast High School), attending the University of Wyoming, and Jennifer Baker (Torrington High School), who is attending the University of Sioux Falls.
Applications are now being accepted for the next cohort of Daniels Fund College Prep and Scholarship Program. The Daniels Fund looks for students who show academic performance or promise, strength of character, emotional maturity and the potential to contribute to one's community later in life. Applicants must currently be juniors in any high school in Goshen, Platte or Niobrara County. Students must also have demonstrated financial need, something which is fairly common in Goshen, Platte, and Niobrara counties.
The Daniels Fund College Prep and Scholarship Program is a two-part program that invests in deserving young people by helping them prepare for, attend, and complete college. Students selected for the program attend a seminar once a month during the spring of their junior year and the fall of their senior year. In the summer between their junior and senior year, students attend a one-week residency program at no cost at a university or community college. During the seminars, students are given information and preparation about financial aid, college selection decision-making, and other information about college preparation. Once a student completes the seminars, they then enter the second phase of the program where they apply to the Daniels Fund for consideration for a Daniels Fund scholarship. "Consideration is the key word here, because students are not guaranteed that they will receive a Daniels Fund scholarship", according to Kathy Moriarty, Site Coordinator/Lead Coach for the Daniels Fund College Prep Program.
The program was started in Wyoming in December of 2002 as a partnership between the Daniels Fund, which is a private foundation, and the seven public state community collages in Wyoming. "The huge estate which was left by founder Bill Daniels went to four different states to be used for philanthropic purposes; New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming," Moriarty said. In these four states, over 2,000 students have participated in the Daniels College Prep Program since its inception. Based on statistical data and analyses from the Daniels Fund, students who complete the program, even those who don't receive a scholarship from the Daniels Fund, are 27 times more likely to enroll in college than students who don't complete the program.
For further information or to apply, please call Kathy Moriarty, Coordinator for the Daniels Fund College Prep Program, (307) 532.8322 or 1.800.658.3195, Ext. 8322. The deadline to apply is December 17, 2004.
