Tooele County’s education community is putting money behind the statement that local high school seniors don’t have to leave home to attend college.
The Tooele Education Foundation announced last week that it will award a total $3,000 “Go Local” scholarships for high school seniors.
The foundation, in conjunction with Tooele Applied Technology College and Utah State University – Tooele Regional Campus, will offer one $500 “Go Local” scholarship at each of the six high schools in Tooele County School District.
The scholarships can be used to pay for education at either TATC or USU-Tooele, according to Ed Dalton, foundation director.
“For years, students have been leaving the community to obtain training and higher education,” he said. “It’s time we offer them an incentive to think higher education and obtain it at home.”
With the presence of TATC and USU-Tooele, students can stay at home and become well-qualified for the workforce and earn a college degree without leaving the community, Dalton said.
USU-Tooele lists over 60 degrees, minors, endorsements, certificates, and other programs on its website. TATC lists 26 programs on its website.
Going local for higher education can provide a substantial savings in costs for students and their families, according to Dalton.
He also is hopeful that students who get their education locally will stay in Tooele County and work at local jobs.
“Investing in local education provides an investment in our local community,” he said.
The Tooele Education Foundation is looking for local partners to join in sponsoring scholarships for local students who stay local so the number of scholarships can be increased in the future, Dalton said.
Students who are interested in the Go Local scholarship can get an application packet from the scholarship coordinator at their school.
Applicants must have a 2.50 grade point average. Along with the application, students must submit a letter of reference for an adult that is familiar with their character, a copy of their high school transcript, and an essay describing why they want to pursue higher education in Tooele County.
Applications are due April 17. A foundation committee will review the applications and select the scholarship recipients. The scholarships will be awarded to students by foundation board members at their school’s scholarship award ceremony.
The Tooele Education Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides financial support and resources to students and teachers, and supports programs within the Tooele County School District.
Along with the six Go Local scholarships, the foundation will award a total of 25 scholarships to Tooele County students this spring, according to Dalton.
The Utah Legislature created TATC as a regional campus of the Utah Applied Technology College in July 2009. Programs at TATC are competency-based, and may be long-term, short-term, or custom-designed for individual employer needs. Most programs are offered in a flexible open-entry, open-exit format, which allows students to progress at their own pace.
Utah State University has been offering courses in Tooele county since the early 1980s. In 2008 USU named the first academic dean to lead the USU-Tooele Regional Campus. A new science and technology building is under construction at the USU-Tooele campus. Expected to be completed in the fall of 2015, the new building will increase the number of degrees and programs available to Tooele County students without leaving the community, according to Donna Dillingham-Evans, dean and executive director of the USU-Tooele Regional Campus.