Berry College officials announced February 19 that Atlanta philanthropist Audrey B. Morgan has pledged $4 million to support student scholarships and the Steven J. Cage Athletic and Recreation Center. This represents one of the largest individual gifts to scholarships in the 107-year history of the institution.
To honor Mrs. Morgan’s generosity, one of the two new dormitories being constructed on the Berry campus will bear the name Audrey B. Morgan Hall. These new dormitories, located adjacent to the Ladd Center near Hermann Hall, will house a total of 345 students when they open in the fall. More information is available at www.berry.edu/AroundBerry/july22008.
“Audrey Morgan understands the value of Berry’s distinctive educational approach, and she shares our values,” said Berry President Stephen R. Briggs. “We are grateful beyond words for her commitment and her investment in the future of deserving students.”
The bulk of Mrs. Morgan’s pledge will be used to help launch the new Gate of Opportunity scholarship program. This unique initiative targets those students who desire a Berry education, demonstrate evidence of a strong work ethic or noteworthy community involvement, and have significant financial need.
“This scholarship program is rooted in the rich history of Berry, but it is designed to meet the needs of students entering a difficult economic environment in the 21st century,” Dr. Briggs said. “Students graduate well-versed in the life lessons of determination, resourcefulness and responsibility.”
Each scholarship represents a partnership among students and their families, Berry College, and donors who have a strong belief in Berry’s core mission. All will contribute toward the total cost, with the student portion being generated through participation in the nation’s premier on-campus work experience program.
“This is a forward-looking program for students who are willing to work hard in exchange for a first-rate education without debt at graduation,” Dr. Briggs said. “The added benefit is that the recipients will graduate with four years of progressive and meaningful work experience and an impressive work history.”
In addition to the funds that have been earmarked for the Gate of Opportunity scholarship program, Mrs. Morgan’s pledge also will provide support for the Cage Center. The total amount of gifts and pledges received in support of Berry’s state-of-the-art athletic center now stands at $24.5 million.
“Audrey Morgan understands deeply the value and dream of education,” Dr. Briggs stated. “Others sacrificed to provide her with the opportunity for an education, and she is now choosing to invest in the young people who will lead our communities in years to come.”
Mrs. Morgan is a strong friend of the institution who currently serves on the Berry College Board of Visitors. Other civic affiliations past and present include the DeKalb Medical Center Foundation, the DeKalb Regional Healthcare System, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the DeKalb Historical Society, the Private Industry Council, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, the 1996 Olympic Committee for DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties, and the Christian Children’s Home. She lives in Stone Mountain with husband Jack. The couple has two adult sons, Jack E. Morgan Jr. and Robert E. Morgan.
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Monday, February 23, 2009
Audrey Morgan Pledges $4 Million to Berry College Scholarships, Cage Center
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Mercer Announces Four-Year Graduation Guarantee
With a goal of reducing the cost of a college education for students and their families, Mercer University today announced an initiative called the “Four-Year Pledge” to help more undergraduate students earn their degrees on time.
Trends over the past decade indicate that college students are increasingly failing to graduate within four years. Nationally, the average time from matriculation to graduation now exceeds five years, with only 37 percent of students graduating in four years. This trend is making a college education significantly more expensive by inflating the direct costs of college — tuition, fees, room and board — as well as the indirect costs associated with delaying entry into the employment market.
“At a growing number of colleges and universities, a four-year undergraduate degree is going the way of the dinosaur,” said Brian Dalton, Mercer’s vice president for enrollment management. “The Mercer Four-Year Pledge reflects the commitment of our faculty and staff to the success of our students. It is designed to encourage students to be intentional and responsible in successfully pursuing an undergraduate degree within four years of matriculation. And it encourages the University to be a responsible partner in working with students to achieve this desired outcome,” Dalton said.
In keeping with the institution’s 176-year tradition of excellence, leadership and innovation in higher education, Mercer pledges to provide an educational environment that enables and encourages students to graduate within eight semesters of matriculation. Beginning with the freshman class of 2009, students who do their work, pass their classes, and follow the advice of faculty advisers will graduate within four years. Under the program, if a student does not graduate within this time frame, the cost of whatever additional courses are required to graduate will be absorbed by the University.
One of only a handful of universities in the country to offer such a guarantee, the University is backing up the pledge with major investments in technology upgrades to allow even better tracking, monitoring and advising as students and their academic advisers navigate progress toward a four-year degree. Mercer will provide written audits to students at the end of each academic year, documenting progress toward their goal of graduating in four years. The institution will also continue investing millions of dollars in institutionally funded scholarships to ensure that the University offers the affordable value that national publications have recognized. The Princeton Review has designated Mercer as a “Best Value” for its excellent academics and “relatively low costs of attendance,” while U.S. News & World Report includes Mercer on its list of “Great Schools, Great Prices.”
“With this pledge, we seek to ensure that our students enter the next phase of their lives much faster than the national average – avoiding the additional financial burden that results from prolonging an undergraduate education and accelerating their journey to becoming productive and successful citizens,” Dalton said.
The Mercer Four-Year Pledge states: “If the student adheres to all pledge stipulations and is not able to graduate within four years of matriculating, Mercer will provide the student a waiver of tuition and fees for all additional courses required for graduation. If the student has lived in campus housing all four years, then the University will provide a waiver of on-campus housing costs. If the student has utilized campus meal plans for all four years, then the University will provide an equivalent meal plan at no cost for the additional required time of enrollment.”
“A college education represents one of the most precious opportunities in our society,” said Mercer President William D. Underwood. “Mercer University is committed to helping reduce the cost of higher education, thus lightening the financial burdens on our students and their families.”
For more information on the Four-Year Pledge, go to www.mercer.edu/pledge or call (800) 840-8577 or (478) 301-2120.
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