Food For Thought Denver Annual Scholarship

Purpose:
Metropolitan State University of Denver has proudly partnered with Food for Thought Denver in its work to feed thousands of Denver area K-12 and college students experiencing food insecurity for 12 years. Food for Thought Denver is creating a Scholars Program to provide food scholarships to recruit and retain students, at the University, from the high schools it serves, currently Abraham Lincoln High School, Sheridan High School, Hidden Lake High School, DSST-Cole, Gateway High School, West Campus, SOAR Academy, Denver South and ALU Denver. University admissions counselors will work closely with the high schools’ guidance counselors to encourage students to apply and enroll at the University, leveraging the trust that Food for Thought Denver has built over many years with the families involved. Incoming first year students at the University can apply for scholarships provided by Food for Thought Denver, which can be renewed for those recipients who continue to qualify. The scholarship awards will be included as part of a student’s overall financial aid package, based on the “cost of attendance,” a formula that calculates the costs of tuition, fees, housing, food, transportation and other costs associated with being a college student. The scholarships from Food for Thought Denver will help students pay a significant amount of their food budgets, while attending the University. As of the date of this Agreement, the Federal Government’s Annual Student Food Expenses Budget Guidelines estimate that students who live with a parent(s) will need $2,763 while those living off-campus on their own or with roommates will need $4,248.

Criteria:
• Meet the University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements and cannot be in default or owe any refund/repayment of federal, state or institutional aid
• Have financial need as determined by FAFSA/CASFA and the University’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Have a completed and current general scholarship application on file
• Have attended one of the high schools served by Food for Thought Denver: Abraham Lincoln High School, Sheridan High School, Hidden Lake High School, DSST – Cole, Gateway High School, West Campus, SOAR Academy, Denver South and ALU Denver.
• Have been admitted to the University and be enrolled at least half-time (6 or more credit hours)

Recipients of the scholarship are eligible for a 1:1 matching contribution from the Foundation’s various Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) funds (SH163, SH167, or SH171). To obtain COSI matching funds, recipient(s) must agree to and participate in wraparound services, maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0, and be a Colorado Resident. If recipients do not meet the COSI criteria, then they will still receive the Food for Thought Denver Annual Scholarship, but they will not receive the COSI matching award.

The scholarship is renewable, year over year, for those recipients who continue to meet the award criteria.

Scholarship award amounts shall be $2,000.00 per recipient, per academic year, as long as funding remains available.