Marshall Magazine Autumn 2022

Green ever

who are able to see all the potential funding they can re ceive, and it’s great for retaining students by potentially providing them with funding all four years. It also helps the university catch students who may have fallen through the cracks before, like first-generation students. “It’s an efficient way to spend the donors’ money,” said Jean Ann Bevans, associate director of customer service. The portal has led to an increase in the number of students applying for scholarships, with over 1,100 stu dents applying last year. “That’s not even the supplemental applications, which was also a big increase from previous years where we may have been hurting to find students to award these things to,” Miller said. “Now we’re having to be more selective of whom we award to because of the criteria, which is great. We’re using the donors’ money as they intended it to be used.” Miller said the portal is helping colleges utilize their scholarship funding to the best of their ability. “The portal has created ease of access for our future and current business students to apply for scholarships,” said Dr. Jeffrey Archambault, interim dean of the Lewis College of Business. “Keeping students the focus of all

that we do is our first priority. We cannot reach the ambi tious goals we have set as the Lewis College of Business, and our students from the Brad D. Smith Schools of Business cannot achieve the ambitious goals they set, without a robust and competitive scholarship portfolio. Scholarships are a great equalizer — they help business students realize their potential and help Marshall recruit and retain them.” The Office of Student Financial Assistance takes every opportunity to teach students about the portal, as does the Marshall University Foundation. From incoming student tours to orientation and beyond, financial aid counselors love to connect students with funding. “That’s why I’m so passionate,” Miller said. “I did not have any idea until my last semester of college that I could come to the financial aid office and ask for a scholarship. So, I went through school with student loans because I didn’t know. I’m not going to have that in the future for other students. I can fix that. So, I’ve fixed that for other students so that they know that they can get scholarship money. They may not be awarded it, but they’re going to know about it. They’re going to know there are opportu nities out there.”

HOMECOMING

Save the Date!

OCTOBER 29

Marshall vs Coastal Carolina

FEATURING Alumni Tailgate • Stampede 5K Picnic on the Plaza Homecoming Parade and Bonfire and much more!

Learn more and register for events at HerdAlum.com

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