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星期三, 12月 21, 2016

更多波士頓公校畢業生有機會從波士頓大學無債畢業

(Boston Orange)波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin J. Walsh)和波士頓大學今(21)日宣佈,擴辦波士頓大學以波士頓公校高中畢業生為對象,已辦理7年的波士頓大學社區服務獎獎學金項目,以其更多學生有機會在無債務情況下完成學業。
2017年秋季這學期開始,在大一新生之外,波士頓公校畢業生轉學進波士頓大學者,也可申請。
波士頓市四月時宣佈免費社區學院計畫,容許波士頓公校畢業生在市府的免學費計畫下,註冊入讀波士頓社區學院(Boston Community College),邦克丘(Bunker Hill)社區學院,或洛士百利(Roxbury)社區學院。波士頓也推出了"兒童儲蓄帳戶(Children's Saving Account)"項目,幫助波士頓公校學生為將來接受大專教育存錢。
              波士頓公校學生畢業率,近年達到71%的歷史高點,完成大專學院教育的比率也持續上升,有大約30%的黑人及西班牙裔學生高中畢業,入讀大專院校後,在六年內完成了學業。
              波士頓大學的這一項目,目前支持150名波士頓大學本科生應付所有的財務需要,包括學費,食宿費,書籍,用品,旅費,雜費等等,完全不需要他們辦貸款。
            代理註冊級學生事務的波士頓大學副校長Christine McGuire表示,該校每年有3540名大一學生參加這一項目,他們的畢業率有94%。學校方面的開銷是每名學生每年41,000元。
              2013年從波士頓拉丁學校畢業,現為波士頓大學英語系2017年級學生的Rosy Chen表示,社區服務學者項目是她和兩個姊姊,波士頓大學商學院2013年級的Anna Chen2015年級的Helen Chan,都能夠在不需要貸款情況下,就讀波士頓大學的主要原因。他們的母親是裁縫,父親在餐館中工作。
              任何波士頓公校畢業生,按照波士頓大學入學許可標準被錄取者,都有資格申請加入這無債財務援助計畫。目前就讀兩年制社區學院的波士頓公校畢業生,在從社區學院畢業前轉學者,也可申請。
              波士頓大學表示,這項目從2009年起設立以來,已有384名波士頓公校畢業生享用了共3600萬元的獎學金。
              社區服務獎獲得者必須保持GPA2.0的成績,每學期至少修畢12個學分。在第一個學期以後,她們必須在輔導者指導下,每學期做25小時的社區服務,他們也必須每年申請財務援助,提供收入證明等文件。

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR BPS STUDENTS
Scholarship expansion builds on City's commitment to create higher education opportunities for Boston students
BOSTON - Wednesday, December 21, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Boston University (BU) today announced the expansion of the Boston University scholarship program for graduates of Boston Public Schools, offering even more students an opportunity to pursue their degree debt-free. The BU Community Service Awards , a seven-year-old program that has been limited to incoming freshman, will be made available to incoming transfer students who are Boston public high school graduates, beginning with the fall semester of 2017.

"This scholarship will make a tremendous impact in the lives of our BPS students," said Mayor Walsh. "We know that BPS graduates are smart, dedicated individuals, and Boston University is offering them a fantastic opportunity to pursue their degree, without the financial burden so many students have to take on. I'm grateful Boston has a strong academic partner in Boston University, and look forward to BPS students benefitting from the expanded scholarship program."

"Boston University is deepening its commitment to the City of Boston, as we remain dedicated to providing world-class higher education," said BU President Robert A. Brown. "We are pleased to be able to offer scholarships to Boston Public School graduates, and are hopeful this expansion of the program will allow more students from Boston to study and graduate from Boston University."

The expanded scholarship program builds on Mayor Walsh's commitment to expanding higher education opportunities for all BPS graduates. In April, the City began a free community college program for BPS graduates, allowing students to enroll in a Boston community college at Bunker Hill Community College or Roxbury Community College under the City's Tuition Free Plan. In addition, the City of Boston has also launched the Children's Savings Account (CSA) program, helping BPS students save for their future college education.

BPS graduation rates are at historic highs, with recent data capturing high school graduation rates at 71 percent. Boston is also seeing consistent progress in college completion rates, as approximately 30 percent of black and Hispanic students who enter college after high school complete their degree within six years.

The BU program, which currently supports 150 BU undergraduates, meets the full calculated financial needs of students, including tuition, room and board, books, supplies, travel, and fees, all without loans.

Christine McGuire, vice president ad interim for enrollment and student affairs, says 35 to 40 freshman each year take advantage of the program, which has a graduation rate of 94 percent. The cost to the University averages $41,000 per year, per student.

"The Community Service scholars program is the main reason why I'm even at BU. It's the reason why my two sisters were also able to attend and graduate from BU," says Rosy Chen (English 2017), a 2013 graduate of Boston Latin School who is studying computer engineering. Her sisters are also BU students: Anna Chen (Questrom School of Business 2013) and Helen Chen (Questrom School of Business 2015). Their mother is a seamstress, and her father works in a restaurant.

"There was no way my family would have been able to afford putting my sisters and me through four years at BU each," said Chen. "But the Community Service program changed that. It's not very often that someone can graduate from a private institution without any loans, but the program made it possible for me and my sisters. And I'm grateful for that. With this degree, I'll be able to get access to more opportunities, whether it be grad school in the future or whatever career path I choose to follow."

Any BPS graduate who is admitted based on BU's transfer admissions standards would be eligible for the expanded scholarship program and debt-free financial aid program. All BPS transfer students are eligible, including students who attend a two-year community college program, before graduating with an associate's degree and transferring to a four-year institution for their bachelor's degree.

The program, created in 2009, has served over 348 Boston Public Schools graduates with over $36 million in scholarships. It provides a University faculty or staff mentor for each student as a resource and support throughout their four years.

Community Service Award recipients must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA and successfully complete at least 12 credits per semester. After their first semester, they are required to perform 25 hours of community service per semester, under the guidance of their mentor. They must also reapply for financial aid each year, including income verification documents.
 
The cost is mostly met with University scholarship funding.  If eligible, students in the program may also receive federal grants and work-study funding. Students must complete the normal financial aid process, which includes submitting a CSS Profile and FAFSA applications.

BU also funds the Thomas M. Menino Scholarship Program, which supports up to 25 exemplary incoming students each year with four years' full tuition

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