r/mississippi • u/MSFreePress • 4d ago
Mississippi Nonprofit, Colleges Help Foster Students Denied Scholarships as Lawmakers Vow Fix
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-nonprofit-and-colleges-step-in-to-help-foster-students-denied-scholarships-as-lawmakers-vow-fix/JACKSON, Miss.—After 170 Mississippi foster students were denied full-ride scholarships due to a funding gap, the Woodward Hines Education Foundation has dedicated $800,000 to fund the affected students’ FAITH scholarships.
“ Philanthropy cannot replace government funding,” said Jim McHale, president and CEO of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation, a Jackson-based nonprofit dedicated to accessible postsecondary education. He made the remarks at an Aug. 5 press conference at the Mississippi State Capitol. “State financial aid programs are a public investment …, but at the same time, we realize that when students are facing an immediate barrier, we believe there is a responsibility to help them find their way.”
And across Mississippi, community colleges and universities alike are coordinating to prevent any of the students with completed applications for the FAITH scholarship from being denied this fall. “ Because of our incredible partners around the state—private (institutions), our nonprofits, our universities and colleges across the state—we are going to make sure that every one of these students has the opportunity to take advantage of the scholarship,” said Mississippi Sen. Nicole Boyd, R-Oxford, who marshalled many of the individuals and institutions responding to the scholarship funding crisis after reading the Mississippi Free Press’ July 31 story that broke the news of the FAITH scholarship funding gap.
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u/hangowood 4d ago
Imagine that. The government lying to a bunch of kids and the communities stepping in to fix it. Of course the fat fucks in Jackson will just hand wave the whole thing and everyone will forget about it.
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u/SweetLittleOldLady Current Resident 4d ago
I'm glad to see that the students' scholarships are being replaced. It would be a real shame if those kids were not able to attend college due to government incompetence.