Public Informational Meeting about HOPE Scholarship will be Jan. 8
For release: January 5, 2004
For press information, contact Curt Guenther

Thursday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m., the University of Memphis will host an informational session that is open to the public about the new statewide HOPE Scholarship for college students in Tennessee, which will be funded by the state's new lottery.

Speakers will include Brian Noland from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and Janice Maddox from the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC). Following an overview of the new scholarships and their requirements, the session will be open for questions from the audience.

The meeting is open to the general public free of charge, and the information presented will apply to public and private colleges and universities in Tennessee.

The session will be held in the Rose Theatre at the U of M. It will last about an hour. Free parking will be available in the general lots along Zach Curlin, and parking for a small fee will be available in the parking garage adjacent to the Rose Theatre.

State officials estimate that most students who qualify for HOPE Scholarships could each receive up to $3000 per year from that program. (In some circumstances, the award could be $4000.) However, the exact amount of the awards will be dependent on the amount of revenue generated by lottery ticket sales, which are set to begin in early 2004.

Students who graduated from high school after Jan. 1, 2003, are eligible for HOPE Scholarships, depending on their grades and other requirements. Details about the scholarship's requirements are also available from a toll-free number at TSAC -
1-800-342-1663 - or on the Web at: www.state.tn.us/tsac/lotteryfaq.htm.

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