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Groundbreaking partnership provides opportunity to Lincoln youth to attend Southeast Community College
Lincoln, NE…Southeast Community College (SCC) and Lincoln’s high schools announced today that they are partnering with Union Bank & Trust and Nelnet to offer a scholarship program for low-income Lincoln youth to attend SCC. With funding from Union Bank & Trust and Nelnet, the innovative Learn to Dream Scholarship program pays tuition and fees for up to 45 quarter credits at SCC for eligible students. All Lincoln high school students who qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch (as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture) are eligible for the scholarship.
“Southeast Community College is excited to be a part of this unprecedented scholarship program in Lincoln and our state,” said Dr. Jack Huck, President of Southeast Community College. “The program will make a difference in the lives of low-income students and their families by guaranteeing their access to college and preparing them for the workforce of the future.”
The Learn to Dream Scholarship program has the potential to make college possible for nearly 600 students each year in our community. Through the program, students will be able to attend SCC for approximately one year of classes without having to pay for tuition and fees. The program will be offered to eligible students who graduate from one of Lincoln’s public, private or parochial high schools on or after January 1, 2008. To encourage participation, Nelnet and Union Bank & Trust will work closely with Lincoln schools and community organizations to promote the scholarship program to parents and students as early as the 8th grade to provide an incentive for students to plan and prepare for post-secondary education.
"A major goal of Lincoln Public Schools is to increase student learning and increase graduation rates,” said Dr. Susan Gourley, Superintendent of Lincoln Public Schools. “Often, however, students are faced with financial realities that decrease their opportunities to pursue an education beyond high school. Consequently, the motivation to achieve a high school diploma may be limited.
“Today, thanks to the generosity of Union Bank and Nelnet, through the establishment of the Learn to Dream Scholarship program, hundreds of Lincoln students and their families will now have the ability to pursue education beyond high school. No longer will doors be closed to them because of their financial limitations. The Learn to Dream Scholarship program will create new dreams of a future that is bright and hopeful. We thank Union Bank and Nelnet for assisting in these dreams."
The Learn to Dream Scholarship program is sponsored by two Lincoln-based companies, Union Bank & Trust and Nelnet.
“We believe education can be a community’s best investment in the future,” said Angie Muhleisen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank & Trust Company. “An educated and skilled young person has a wonderful opportunity to fulfill their dreams making the future more prosperous for themselves and for our community. Union Bank has a long-standing tradition of being an advocate of education – this is our commitment to a better Lincoln.”
“For almost 30 years, Nelnet has been helping families in Lincoln and across the country reach their life-long education goals,” said Jeff Noordhoek, President of Nelnet. “We believe that every student should receive a chance to attend college and gain the skills young people need to create a brighter future for themselves, their family, and their community. That’s why we are excited to be a part of this groundbreaking effort in our hometown and we look forward to hearing and seeing the success stories of our Learn to Dream scholars.”
About Southeast Community College
Southeast Community College includes three campuses and more than 20 off-campus sites in 15 counties in Nebraska. The Beatrice campus is located in a city of 12,805, and the Milford campus is at home in a community of 2,071. The Lincoln campus is located in the capital city of 232,362. Each location offers individual benefits, from rural friendliness and small-city energy to metropolitan ambience.
Additional information is available at http://www.southeast.edu.
About Union Bank & Trust Company
Union Bank & Trust Company is a privately owned, Nebraska bank that offers complete banking, lending, investment and trust services. The bank’s success is built on three basic beliefs; providing excellent customer service, employee satisfaction where employees have the opportunity to excel, and diversification by offering a broad base of financial products. The bank is committed to the communities it serves by extending a helping hand to the organizations that make communities a better place to live and work.
The bank has thirty-six full service and loan production offices in Nebraska and Kansas. In addition to Lincoln and Omaha, branches are located in nineteen Nebraska communities and the Kansas City metro area. Founded in 1917, Union Bank is the third largest privately-owned bank in Nebraska with bank assets of $1.5 billion and trust assets under management of $8.9 billion as of June 30, 2007.
Additional information is available at www.ubt.com
About Nelnet
For 28 years, Nelnet has been helping the education-seeking family plan for their education, pay for their education, and prepare for their careers. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in products, services, and technology improvements for students and the educational institutions they attend. These services include live counseling to help families through all aspects of the financial aid process, benefits for borrowers, including tens of millions of dollars in borrower loan discounts and other benefits, and Nelnet sponsored scholarships. Nelnet serves students in 50 states, employs over 3,000 associates, and has $26.2 billion in net student loan assets.
Additional information is available at www.nelnet.com.