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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 2, 2024 02:01 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Robert W. Mercuri |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Grow Pennsylvania Merit Scholarship Program |
| The Center for Rural Pennsylvania estimates that the state’s population will grow by just 1.6% through 2050, compared to 20% population growth nationally. This means that Pennsylvania is facing workforce shortages in myriad industries. To ensure that Pennsylvania can rely on a well-trained workforce that is ready to step into family-sustaining careers in the industries that our Commonwealth needs most, we need to attract young people from out-of-state to attend our colleges and universities and stay in Pennsylvania. To address this issue, I intend to introduce legislation to establish the Grow Pennsylvania Merit Scholarship Program within the State System of Higher Education. A “merit scholarship” is defined as the waiver of an amount equal to the differential between tuition for a resident and nonresident student. This program will provide valuable financial assistance to eligible nonresident students pursuing higher education in fields that are in high demand within the Commonwealth. By offering merit scholarships to nonresident students with a minimum GPA of 2.50, the program encourages talented individuals from outside Pennsylvania to pursue their education within the state, potentially contributing to the Commonwealth's skilled workforce. The program targets students enrolled in approved courses of study, such as agriculture, computer science, business, education, engineering, nursing, and criminal justice, ensuring that recipients are well-positioned to secure employment in high-demand occupations upon graduation. Recipients of the merit scholarship must agree to work in Pennsylvania for 15 months for each academic year they received the scholarship, ensuring that the Commonwealth benefits from the skills and knowledge acquired by these students. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will monitor and verify students' compliance with the program's requirements, including repayment if obligations are not met. Reimbursed funds will be transferred back to the State System of Higher Education. Annual reporting to the Governor and General Assembly will provide insights into the program's effectiveness, including the number of scholarships awarded, recipient employment outcomes, and funds reimbursed by non-compliant recipients. By attracting talented nonresident students to Pennsylvania and aligning their education with the workforce needs of the Commonwealth, this bill represents an important investment in the state's economic future. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation and the opportunities it presents for both students and the Commonwealth as a whole. |
Introduced as HB2279