Clayton State University has met the challenge – the Retention Scholarship Challenge.
Thanks to the generosity of several donors, Clayton State just six weeks ago announced the Retention Scholarship Challenge, stipulating that all new gifts up to $20,000 total, so-designated to the Retention Scholarship Challenge, and received prior to the end of the University’s fiscal year (June 30), would be matched, dollar for dollar, thus doubling the impact of the gifts.
As Clayton State President Dr. Thomas Hynes announced July 1 at the annual Clayton State Happy Fiscal New Year celebration, the University and its generous contributors have fully met and, in fact surpassed the challenge total, thus indeed making for a happy fiscal new year.
“Thanks to all of you and many others, Clayton State has again set records for giving to the University this year! Thank you!” he exclaimed to the assembled crowd of administrators, faculty, staff, students and contributors. “Your dedication makes dreams made real not just a slogan, but a reality. Many thanks to everyone for your role in making this year such a tremendous success!”
Financial challenges are a frequent reason Clayton State students give for not being able to complete their education. Over the past two years Clayton State has made great strides to help students move past this challenge so that they are able to graduate with a college degree – many of them being the first college graduates in their family. However, there are still Clayton State students, some 25 to 30 each fall, who need help, thus the need for the Retention Scholarship Challenge.
In fact, history shows that, each fall, approximately 30 Clayton State students end up dropping out for the semester so that they can earn enough money to pay for their education, having exhausted their financial aid options in that programs such as HOPE and Pell are no longer possibilities. History also shows that many of these students do not re-enroll and will never see their dream of a college degree realized.
With Clayton State having surpassed the $20,000 threshold for the matching challenge (the exact figures are still awaiting a couple of final gifts), this success will dramatically impact a couple of dozen Clayton State students for the coming fall semester that starts in August.
“This success in maximizing the Challenge and thus helping our students speaks very strongly to the community’s commitment to Clayton State,” said Vice President for External Relations Kate Troelstra, who also reports that the Challenge was met with a group of significant gifts, including some second gifts, on the very last day of the fiscal year.
