photo by: Baker University

Baker University Campus

Baker University will soon be offering at least one qualified student from every county in Kansas a full-tuition scholarship each year.

The initiative is called Baker 105, and according to a press release from Baker University, it marks an expansion of the university’s recruitment efforts across the state. A student selected for Baker 105 gets the scholarship each year for up to four years as long as recipients continue to meet eligibility requirements, Kelsey Rockey, the university’s spokesperson, told the Journal-World.

The goal of the initiative is to reach beyond the communities where Baker has traditionally drawn many of its students and identify students throughout Kansas. The “intention” is to offer the scholarship every year, Rockey said, with a new cohort of students selected in the next enrollment cycle next fall and winter.

“As Kansas’ first university, Baker has been part of this state for nearly 170 years. Baker 105 is about recommitting the University to Kansas and opening the door to students in every corner of the state,” Baker University President Jody Fournier said in the release. “There is extraordinary talent in every Kansas community. We want those students and families to know that a Baker education is within reach.”

Students can be considered for the scholarship if they are a Kansas resident. They must apply for admission to Baker University and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Baker 105 will be covering the remaining tuition costs for selected students after their financial aid package is applied.

“No matter where a student lives, from Johnson County to Wallace County, and everywhere in between, we want them to know they can be seen, supported and challenged here,” Fournier said in the release. “This is an investment not only in those students, but in the communities and industries they will someday help lead.”

The new initiative also expands Baker’s ongoing efforts to make higher education more affordable for Kansas families. All of the full-time students receive some form of financial aid, the release said, with Baker awarding more than $26 million in aid annually.

Full-tuition scholarships will begin being awarded on Dec. 1. Students interested in the Baker 105 program should apply for admission and complete the FAFSA by the Jan. 15 priority deadline.

People can learn more about the eligibility requirements and Baker 105 at https://www.bakeru.edu/105.