By Jeremy Pittari, Magnolia Tribune
(Photo from State Senator Nicole Boyd’s Facebook page)
Through a donation from the Woodward Hines Education Foundation about 170 foster children in Mississippi will continue to receive financial aid for college.
Woodward Hines is a non-profit that works to provide access to workforce credentials and postsecondary education opportunities. The $800,000 donation from the foundation will cover students who were notified that their State Representative Bill Kinkade FAITH Scholarship would not be met due to high demand.
“The demand for the FAITH Scholarship shows that more foster youth are pursuing education beyond high school,” House Universities and Colleges Committee Chair Representative Donnie Scoggin (R) said. “We thank Woodward Hines for acting quickly, and legislators will continue to work with our colleges and universities to support these students and strengthen the program.”
The FAITH Scholarship was established by the Legislature in 2022 to provide last dollar financial assistance to young people who are currently or were previously in foster care. The scholarship covers tuition, housing, books, fees, and other expenses incurred after all other financial aid is applied.
High demand for the FAITH Scholarship exhausted the appropriated funding for the program, leaving about 170 eligible youth without that state-funded financial support.
“Mississippians are among the most generous people in the country,” Senate Universities and Colleges Committee Chair Nicole Boyd (R) said. “We are deeply grateful to Woodward Hines for stepping forward with $800,000 and joining legislators and our colleges and universities to help these students get to college this fall. We encourage anyone who wants to help join this effort by making a donation.”
Any student who received a notice from FAITH Scholarship should reach out to their respective institution’s financial aid office.
Legislators continue to work toward a solution so the gap does not happen in the future.
“As someone who experienced foster care, this scholarship is deeply personal to me,” State Representative Bill Kinkade (R) added. “I am grateful to Woodward Hines, our colleges and universities, legislators and every Mississippian helping them pursue a better future.”