Student Achievement Collaborative and Ivory Foundation Invite Students Back to Complete Degrees

Former Utah State University students who left school without completing their degree are being invited back. Thanks to a generous grant made by the Clark & Christine Ivory Foundation, eligible former students who were within 30 credit hours of graduation and have a gap of at least five years in their education are being contacted by the university’s Student Achievement Collaborative (SAC).

Thousands of potential recipients were assessed by SAC, which included running data to identify those who met the requirements and utilizing Degree Works and other tools to identify their potential time of degree completion. Eligible students were contacted and invited to apply for the program. Administrative Assistant Kandice Jeppsen was in charge of following up with candidates.

“I was excited for the opportunity to reach out to these students who were so close to completing their degree,” Jeppsen said. “The amount of appreciation they had towards myself, my team, and the Ivory Foundation was genuine and heartfelt. They couldn’t believe a complete stranger wanted them to succeed enough to help pay for their education. Many times, all a student needs is a little push to accomplish this huge step in their lives. I was honored to be a small part of this and am thankful for the Ivory Foundation and their generosity. I speak for all of the recipients: thank you!”

The initiative to re-recruit former students for the Ivory Scholarship began in the summer of 2020. 13 students were offered scholarship funds to cover their tuition. 12 students enrolled in the Fall 2020 semester, with another enrolled starting Spring 2021. Three of those students graduated in only one semester.

“I was as thrilled as I was surprised to have been selected as a recipient for your Completion Scholarship,” said one scholarship awardee. “Returning to complete my education has been a goal for a long time and with only a handful of credits remaining, it is not far away from realization. This scholarship eases a burden that surprised my family and I when we discovered that my VA benefits would almost, but not quite, cover the cost of my education. With a degree from USU in hand I will finally be able to make the advancements in my career that I have strived for.”

Students who receive the Ivory Scholarship must plan on completing their degree within 18 months, receiving a scholarship of $4,000 to be split between two semesters.