Southeast Missouri State University president Brad Hodson announced a new scholarship initiative designed to make attending SEMO more affordable during a gathering Wednesday, Aug. 27, in front of Kent Library.
According to Hodson, 85% of students beginning their college education in the 2026 fall semester will be eligible for the scholarships, which he said will provide students with "more money, more accessibility," and emphasized that the awards are renewable.
"Out here at Southeast Missouri State, we understand that not all of you are great test takers, that not all of you have maybe great academic scores," Hodson said. "Sometimes that's a yin or a yang. You're either a great test taker and don't have a great GPA or vice versa. These are flexible awards. They're meant to be customized to you. They're meant to address a variety of circumstances. We want more students coming to school here and graduating with less debt."
Approximately 150 high school students from visiting schools attended the event. Lenell Hahn, assistant vice president for Enrollment Management and Admissions, said SEMO wanted regional high schoolers to be in attendance to hear the announcement, as well as have fun while they were on campus.
"There are two major components to a college experience, right?" Hahn said. "No. 1 is you're coming for that major, for that degree, to gain that knowledge, and to set off on an outstanding career, right? But on the other hand, you're joining a community of individuals that you're going to grow with, and you're going to just flourish.
"There's so much more outside of the classroom that students experience. They gain leadership skills, they gain communication skills, they gain collaboration, persistence and resilience. We wanted them to see everything that this community can offer them, inside and outside the classroom."
The new program increases student access to scholarship money by automatically awarding it to qualified students through the admissions process, with no additional forms or documentation needing to be submitted. The awards are "test-optional" and "superscore-friendly". This means students who may score low on the ACT or SAT can receive funding based on their academic performance, even if they don't have a specific test score. In addition, students who maintain their credit hour and GPA requirements can renew their scholarships, which are based on "a broad range of qualities", including academic achievement, leadership ability, creative talent, athletics, geographic location and financial need.
Hahn said SEMO invests approximately $20 million in scholarships every year. The scholarships announced Wednesday will range from as little as $500 up to $8,000, depending on the student's qualifications.
Hodson said a college degree is the "most important investment you can make in your future."
"It will open doors for you that nothing else will," Hodson said. "I know four years sounds like a long time. There are lots of forms to fill out. There are lots of decisions to be made about majors and funding, but it is absolutely the best thing that you can do for your future. I am a first generation college student. … No one else in my family had a four-year degree before I graduated, and it completely changed the trajectory for me, for my brother, for our kids and I hope the same for you.
"I hope you access SEMO and doors open that you never imagined were possible. This new program is about empowering students and making things possible that previously were not possible. I hope you celebrate with us today. This is a big deal for us, and we are glad that you are here to be a part of it."
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