Economically Disadvantaged Students Get a Chance at Higher Education

A campaign was launched in December to raise corporate and private donations for the first Equal Access Scholarship Initiative (EASI).

Written by Gary Vaughn

Development

Oil Boom

Regent Serna, who has served on the Board since 2005, will lead the new scholarship initiative.
Photo credit: J. Hernandez

Chancellor Kent Hance has asked Board of Regents member Dan Serna to spearhead a bold, new program aimed at increasing the number of high-achieving, economically-disadvantaged students who attend Texas Tech University. A campaign was launched in December to raise corporate and private donations for the first Equal Access Scholarship Initiative (EASI).

The EASI initiative conforms to the State’s “Closing the Gaps Initiative,” which seeks to increase the number of underrepresented minorities, among other students, enrolled in Texas institutions of higher education. Implementation of EASI will ensure that scholarships become immediately available for these underrepresented Texas high school graduates.

Regent Serna said he is proud to lead this initiative on behalf of Texas Tech.

“I believe there is no finer or more rewarding university from which to begin the next phase of a student’s life and career,” said Serna, a 1979 Texas Tech graduate. “Our alumni are keenly aware of the changes in Texas demographics. The need to train a diverse workforce is more compelling today than ever before and I expect Texas Tech will rise to the challenge.”

Last year, 58 percent of students accepted by Texas Tech University elected to attend other universities, many citing scholarships as their main reason. Texas Tech intends to remedy this situation by offering scholarship packages to assist every potential student.

To complement EASI, Chancellor Hance recently created the IMPACT Scholarship Program to award scholarships to top students based on outstanding academic achievement, leadership, financial need and positive involvement in the community.

Both IMPACT and EASI will provide much needed scholarships for future Texas Tech students. 

To support the EASI and IMPACT scholarship programs today contact:

IMPACT scholarships:

  • Alicia Knight, development officer
    Office of Institutional Advancement
    PO Box 41017
    Lubbock, Texas 79409 or at (806) 742-1828.

EASI scholarships:

  • Chris Snead, associate vice president
    Alumni Association
    PO Box 45001
    Lubbock, Texas 79409 or (806) 742-3641

 

Jan 15, 2020