Horatio Alger Scholars offered free campus housing

By Jim Kouri

"We are all here on earth to make this a better place and improve the human condition. When you have had the opportunity in your life to be successful, that comes with the responsibility to reach out and help others. This is one of edicts we live by," said Campus Crest Real Estate Management President Shannon King.

Campus Crest is a a growing national developer of first-class student housing properties branded The Grove. One of the biggest ways Campus Crest gives back is through partnering with The Horatio Alger Association and providing housing free of charge to Horatio Alger Scholars attending schools in those markets where Campus Crest has a property.

Campus Crest dedicates three four-year housing scholarships at each location to Horatio Alger scholarship recipients. The average value of each housing scholarship totals $6,000 per year. "We believe providing fully-loaded housing to well-deserving Horatio Alger scholars can help foster an environment conducive to learning and living well — ensuring a firmer footing for their future," said King.

During the 2007-2008 school year, seven Horatio Alger Scholars benefitted from free Campus Crest housing. For the upcoming 2008-2009 school year, Campus Crest anticipates the number of housing scholarships to double.

According to its web site, The Horatio Alger Association National Scholarship Program is one of the nation's largest college financial aid programs in the country, the Horatio Alger National Scholarship Program is the only major scholarship effort that specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. While many aid programs are directed primarily to recognizing academic achievement or leadership potential, the Horatio Alger program also seeks students who have a commitment to use their college degrees in service to others.

To maximize the benefits of this program, Campus Crest plans on collaborating with the Horatio Alger Association to identify markets and schools where there is a trend of more Horatio Alger scholarship attendance. Additionally, Campus Crest and Horatio Alger will work together in structuring this gift in order to maximize proceeds from matching scholarships or grants available through participating schools or government agencies.

Currently, Horatio Alger Scholars are eligible to receive free housing scholarships in each of the 18 markets listed below.

• University of North Carolina at Asheville (Asheville, NC)

• University of West Georgia (Carrollton, GA)

• Georgia College and State University (Milledgeville, GA)

• New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, NM)

• Jacksonville State University (Jacksonville, AL)

• University of South Alabama (Mobile, AL)

• Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, TX)

• Abilene Christian University (Abilene, TX)

• University of North Colorado (Greeley, CO)

• Central Washington University (Ellensburg, WA)

• Eastern Washington University (Cheney, WA)

• Arkansas State University (Jonesboro, AR)

• Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX)

• Tarleton State University (Stephenville, TX)

• Troy University (Troy, AL)

• Baylor University (Waco, TX)

• Wichita State University (Wichita, KS)

• Midwestern State University (Wichita Falls, TX)

About Campus Crest and The Grove: Campus Crest is a vertically-integrated student housing company based in Charlotte, NC. Through its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, Campus Crest Development, Campus Crest Construction and Campus Crest Real Estate Management, it delivers one of the best student housing products in the United States. Through its brand, the Grove, [www.gogrove.com], its projects are both amenity rich and have progressive lifestyle programming to help build the total sense of community.

© Jim Kouri