Hall of Fame offers more than $4M in tuition waivers, cash scholarships

The Oklahoma Scholarship Competition provides an opportunity for Oklahoma high school students to earn cash scholarships and tuition grants for college.

With more than $4 million available to students statewide, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame offers at least eight $1,000 awards and one full-tuition waiver to Bacone College in each county. Scholarships are awarded to students who earn high scores on an Oklahoma history and geography examination taken in March.

“This program is designed to encourage and reward students interested in Oklahoma’s rich history,” said Gini Moore Campbell, Oklahoma Hall of Fame and Gaylord-Pickens Museum vice president.

“We hope that it also encourages our students to stay in state to attend college, remaining here to live and work after receiving their degrees.”

Individual donors and Oklahoma colleges and universities provide the scholarships and tuition grants in the counties of their choice. In addition to schools statewide offering tuition grants to students in various counties, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Christian University, Bacone College, Southern Nazarene University, Rose State College, Tulsa Community College, the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma have made tuition waivers available in all 77 counties. Bacone College is offering a four-year, full tuition waiver for every county.

The test will be given on March 4 at locations across the state. Students in grades nine through 12 are eligible to take the exam, and all students must preregister by Feb. 17.

In addition to the Oklahoma Scholarship Competition, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame offers the four-year, $10,000 John W. and Mary D. Nichols Scholarship. The Nichols scholarship is given to a high school senior who has not only demonstrated that he or she has paid attention in Oklahoma history classes, but also excelled in academics, citizenship and leadership. The student also must commit to attend college in Oklahoma. Students must be nominated for the scholarship by an adult, and the deadline is Feb. 17.

To see a list of scholarships available in each county, to register for the test, see a full list of testing sites and download a study guide, go to oklahomahof.com or call 235-4458. For information about becoming a scholarship donor call Gini Moore Campbell, vice president, at 523-3202.