A Life-changing Scholarship
director and editor: Basil Iskandrian | cameras: William Davis, Bill Roa, Basil Iskandrian | music: premiumbeats.com
Representatives from Georgia State University and State Farm surprised 14 Southwest DeKalb High School students Tuesday (April 18) with news they would receive full-ride scholarships to attend two-year programs at Georgia State’s Decatur campus. The scholarships were made possible with a $14.5 million gift from State Farm, which will fund 50 scholarships from DeKalb high schools each year. Georgia State’s Learning, Income and Family Transformation program will track student progress to help students overcome educational obstacles. Once participating students earn a two-year degree, they will transition to a four-year degree program or a career. Graduation rates for Georgia State’s minority and low-income students have more than doubled in recent years, and the university graduates students from all racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds at comparable rates.