LBW Community College last week announced the addition of more than 115 new scholarships for the 2014-15 academic year, as well as tuition “installment plans,” all designed to help make higher education more accessible.

The additions increase direct institutional support for students by 4.5 percent and bring the total budgeted amount for scholarships to more than $1 million, LBW president Dr. Herb Riedel said.

The new plan includes:

• New valedictorian and salutatorian scholarships for $3,500 to cover two semesters; • 25 new academic scholarships for two semesters totaling $3,000 each;
• 25 new technical scholarships for two semesters totaling $3,000 each;
• 25 new technical scholarships for summer semester totaling $1,500 each;
• 20 new leadership scholarships valued at $1,000 for the span of two semesters;
• Adding financial aid waivers for certificate programs to help bridge the gap between the student’s grant funding and the cost of tuition and fees; and
• 20 new non-traditional scholarships for $1,500 or $3,000, depending on the number of semesters covered. Students are considered non-traditional if they have been out of school for at least one year.

“We thoroughly reviewed all LBW scholarships with the intention of maximizing several goals,” Riedel said.

Those goals include assisting students, especially those who otherwise would not be able to attend; enhancing the quality of academics and student life; assisting in recruitment; and increasing enrollment, he said.

“We wanted to increase the overall number of students receiving scholarship support, focus more on need-based support, address the needs of non-traditional students, and emphasize the value of these scholarships.

“This plan makes us more competitive with neighboring colleges, provides additional tools for our recruitment efforts, maintains our valued academic, performing arts and athletic programs, and makes our college as affordable as we can,” said Riedel.

LBW recruiter and scholarship committee member Heather Owen said all students who wish to be considered for scholarships must apply. For instance, even though the college awards scholarships to valedictorians and salutatorians, those students must complete the application process.

Scholarship applications will be available after the first of the year for the next academic year through the college website at lbwcc.edu, or available in student services at any LBWCC location, Owen said. To complete the application, she said, students must also present a high school transcript through the first semester of their senior years, and complete the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Some scholarships also require letters of reference, she said.

In addition to the increased opportunities for scholarships, the college is working toward establishing an installment payment plan for tuition and hopes to have it available at the same time.

“Having an installment payment plan will help all students by keeping payments affordable,” Riedel said.