Press Release

Arizona Higher Education Loan Authority Announces New Scholarships for Arizona Students.

Additional $12,000 available in scholarships from the Arizona Higher Education Loan Authority (AHELA) to be awarded for fall 2007.
Applications are available on the AHELA Web site at www.ahela.org.

TEMPE, AZ, May 20th, 2007 – The Arizona Higher Education Loan Authority (AHELA) today announced the creation of three new scholarship programs for Arizona students. These scholarship programs are to increase access to higher education for low-income students, as well as teaching and nursing students.

"AHELA is dedicated to increasing access to higher education, providing the lowest cost funding possible and working with our schools and our state government to strengthen our educational system” said AHELA Executive Director Shelly Murphy. "AHELA recognizes that the skyrocketing costs of education makes this an even more difficult task for all involved, but hopes through early awareness programs, private and public partnerships, and working with Arizona's educational institutions, we can make sure that a higher education is still obtainable.”

The AHELA Scholarship programs are designed so that they are easier to qualify for and easy to apply. Students must have at least a 2.5 grade point average and enrolled full-time in an Arizona institution of higher education. AHELA wants to help bridge the gap between financial aid and the cost of a college education, as well as help the state of Arizona overcome it’s teacher and nurse shortage. Two scholarships in the amount of $2,000 will be awarded to low-income or disadvantaged students. Four scholarships in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to nursing students and four scholarships in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to teacher or education students. Winners will be selected based on academic achievement, financial need, and community involvement. Students will be expected to use this money to cover educational expenses.

Complete scholarship information, including award criteria and an application for Fall 2007 awards, are posted on the AHELA Web, www.ahela.org, with an application deadline of June 21st, 2007. Winners will be chosen by a selection committee and notified by mid-July if selected as a finalist.

For more details on AHELA Scholarship programs visit our website at www.ahela.org/scholarships.