College Credit Plus/PSEOP Scholarship
The annual rite of passage that brings fresh faces to Miami’s campuses each fall – Move in Miami – also brings another important influx – donations from alumni, faculty and the community. One unique scholarship opportunity that has been created from the #MoveInMiami fundraising effort is a planned extension of the College Credit Plus/PSEOP Scholarship that allows students to start taking college classes while still in high school.
History of the CCP/PSEOP Scholarship
Launched by Regional Coordinator of User Support Aaron Renner and Computer and Technology Specialist Lindsay Sponsel, the CCP/PSEO Alumni scholarship is aimed at keeping talented high school students at the regional campuses by offering an additional scholarship opportunity if they choose to remain at the Regionals for their degree after their CCP coursework.
Renner and Sponsel say they took part in the state CCP program in high school – when it was known as the PSEO – and they know how important scholarship funding can be. "We realized this was a springboard for our careers, so we wanted to help others," says Renner, who received his associate degree in applied science in 2013 at Miami Regionals.
Recently, however, enrollment numbers have shown that fewer CCP scholarship recipients were returning to the Miami Regionals to finish their degrees as in the past. They were going elsewhere. Renner and Sponsel wanted to change that.
"We want to use this as a way to entice students to continue here at the Regionals," says Sponsel, who received her degree in Integrative Studies in 2011. "It could be the extra incentive some students need."
Through the creation of matching grants and other special initiatives, the duo have helped raise $7,000 toward the scholarship over the past four years. Once in place, one CCP student will receive up to $500 each year to continue their education at Miami Regionals.
