A promising future awaits Mississippi students entering or transferring to Mississippi State University who qualify for a special university program.

The MSU Promise Program is designed to help students in economically challenging situations meet tuition expenses and receive institutional support needed to ensure their continued success as they work toward a college degree. In today's unstable economy, many of Mississippi's low-income families are some of those affected the most, making programs like MSU Promise even more crucial to the future of our state and the education of its citizens.

The Promise Program has helped nearly 450 students since it was created in 2006. Essentially, the program seeks to "bridge the gap" between the cost of tuition and required fees after financial aid has been received.

Fulfilling the Promise – Sarah Reaves

Sarah Reaves

Sarah Reaves of Southaven is the first person in her family to attend and graduate from a university. When she applied to Mississippi State four years ago, she had no idea her dream of earning a degree would be fulfilled with the MSU Promise Award.

In May, Sarah graduated from MSU with a 4.0 grade-point average and a psychology degree with an emphasis in cognitive science. She is proud of her accomplishment and grateful for the opportunity to graduate without student loans.

Looking back, Sarah knew her family was supportive of her educational goal. However, they were concerned about the financial strain a college education would place on their family.

"When I was offered MSU Promise, my parents were thrilled. It was a definite comfort to have tuition paid, and I was lucky the scholarship provided more than just financial assistance," Sarah explained.

As part of an accompanying Promise Student Support Program, recipients of MSU Promise Awards, like Sarah, are given an opportunity to settle into college life and gain beneficial study skills. The support program, through the College of Education, offers two college support courses and one-on-one counseling with a mentor, Marty Friend.

"The College Success course taught me many valuable skills. I learned practical things like how to navigate university administration and how to take useful and organized notes," Sarah explained.

She continued, "Marty Friend's encouragement and praise after a successful freshman year gave me the confidence I needed to continue working as hard as I could toward my degree."

While enrolled at MSU, Sarah held a teacher's assistantship for a statistics class and very much enjoyed the experience. Now, she looks forward to a career in academia.

Sarah and her husband, Bradley, a fellow MSU graduate, are relocating to Atlanta, Ga. They will pursue doctoral studies at Georgia Tech.

"I will never forget how Mississippi State shaped me into the scholar I am today," Sarah said. "I have definitely been a blessed Bulldog because of MSU Promise."

Ensuring Success

The Promise Program provides academic counseling, course-progress monitoring, and networking opportunities, among other support to assist recipients with their transition to the university.

Through the university's Learning Center, MSU Promise students are given support in the form of two three-hour credit courses. College Success I is required to obtain first semester funding, while College Success II serves as a follow-up for those whose GPA falls below a 3.0.

Each recipient meets with the Promise Student Support Program coordinator several times per semester and with an academic advisor at least once each semester. Students also participate in group meetings for guest speakers and have access to a faculty mentor, upon request, through the Division of Student Affairs' Mentoring Program.

Qualifying for Promise

MSU Promise Awards are given to eligible entering freshmen students whose total family income is $30,000 or below. Candidates must be Mississippi residents, who have a 3.0 (out of 4.0) or better cumulative high school GPA. Recipients must enroll as full-time students and maintain a 2.5 GPA as they make satisfactory progress toward an MSU degree.

The awards also extend to Mississippi community college transfer students who have completed at least 48 credit hours and have maintained a cumulative 2.5 college GPA. In addition, they must enroll as full-time students and maintain a 2.5 GPA while making satisfactory progress toward a college degree, as defined by federal standards.

All candidates for MSU Promise Awards are required to file annually the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For complete details on MSU's Promise Program, click here.

Supporting Promise

Louis A. Hurst, Jr. with
Promise recipients

Mississippi State University needs private gifts to honor our "promise" for success in higher education to deserving students in Mississippi.

Any amount of annual contribution will benefit the Promise Award Fund. With your continued support, the MSU Promise Program and its corresponding Promise Student Support Program can help bridge the gap in the state's efforts to produce more college graduates. Together, we can build an educated citizenry and workforce equal to the demands of the 21st century.

Individuals or corporations interested in providing program support for a one year period, may do so with a gift. Support Promise today, or contact Jack McCarty, executive director of development, at 662.325.3686 or jmccarty@foundation.msstate.edu for giving options.

A Promising Beginning:

Louis A. Hurst, Jr.

Mississippi native Louis A. Hurst, Jr. believes in making a difference at his alma mater which is why he chose to support the MSU Promise Awards.

Hurst is a 1949 accounting alumnus and a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University who now resides in Houston, Texas. He enjoyed a 32-year career as a bank examiner with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. before retiring as an assistant director for the FDIC's Memphis Region.

Hurst's strong belief in a quality education is also reflected in the L.A. Hurst Jr. Endowment Fund. The College of Business scholarship emphasizes moral and ethical character as traits desired in recipients.

In 2006, one of the MSU's newest residence halls in the Donald W. Zacharias Village was named in Hurst's honor. The following year, Hurst was named National Alumnus of the Year for the bulldog spirit he embodies.

Hurst's father and four brothers attended MSU. Together, they have been "rock solid" supporters of academics and athletics.

Keeping the Promise - Entergy Mississippi: