Welcome from the Chancellor

Dr. Francis K. Achampong, Penn State Mont Alto Chancellor
 

Welcome to Penn State Mont Alto’s web site. I appreciate your interest in our campus.

At Penn State Mont Alto, our students get the best of both worlds – they get a world-class, brand-name education on a small, safe, and nurturing campus. We have small class sizes and our faculty are teacher-scholars who are experts in their fields. We also offer excellent student support services, a vibrant campus life, engaging out-of-class activities, and opportunities for student leadership development.

A 2011 Wall Street Journal survey of employers shows employers prefer to hire Penn State graduates because employers said they are bright, well-rounded graduates who possess the competencies they are looking for.

Many families are worried whether they can afford to send their children to college and some are even questioning whether a college education is a worthwhile investment despite evidence that most good jobs in America are held by college graduates. College graduates also earn significantly more over a lifetime than high-school graduates and are less susceptible to losing their jobs during recessions. A college education is, therefore, one of the most important investments you will ever make.

At Penn State Mont Alto, we are committed to making a Penn State education accessible and affordable. While we cannot make any guarantee receipt of awards and scholarships, students who meet certain criteria will automatically be considered for one or a combination of many awards and scholarships.

The Provost Award is dedicated to Pennsylvania residents and ranges between $5,000 (for freshmen and sophomores) and $7,000 (for junors and seniors). Students from Pittsburgh with a Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship will also be given a $1,000 housing award per semester. The Chancellor Award ranges between $1,000 and $6,000 with a preference for high-achieving, first-year students who are the first in their families to attend college.

The Discover Penn State Award is for out-of-state students from DC, DE, MD, OH. NJ, NY, VA, and WVA. They may be considered for an award of $6,000 in their freshman and sophomore years, and $7,000 in their junior and senior years. Students who transfer from a community college to Penn State Mont Alto for their junior year may be considered for an award of $6,500 a year for three years to help them earn a bachelor’s degree. High-achieving students with multiple college options may be considered for a Yield Enhancement Award to help make a Penn State Mont Alto education more attractive.  

Penn State Mont Alto has many scholarship endowments funded by generous donors. Donors specify whether they want these funds to go to students enrolled in a designated major or from a designated county. The campus awarded scholarships totaling $553,178 to 335 students from these endowments in 2018.

Penn State Mont Alto also has a Hardship Fund that may offer general assistance up to $500 to students facing financial hardships that might interfere with their education. The Complete Penn State Scholarship helps students with 90 credits or more, who have walked away from their studies for financial reasons, come back and complete their degrees.

Information on Penn State Mont Alto’s efforts to make a Penn State education accessible and affordable is available online. Our Office of Financial Aid will be happy to share more information with you and answer your questions about Penn State Mont Alto’s awards and scholarships and financial aid in general.

Penn State recognizes that families may need more information about managing money and paying for college. Therefore, the University offers free financial literacy resources to parents and families through the Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center.

Thank you once again for visiting our website. We would be delighted to see you in person on our beautiful campus. I invite you to schedule a visit with our Office of Admissions. We will be happy to answer your questions and help you discover more about what makes Penn State Mont Alto such a special place.

Sincerely,

Francis K. Achampong
Penn State Mont Alto Chancellor

 

The Penn State Mont Alto Today is an annual publication from the Office of the Chancellor. Published each November, the magazine is designed to keep the community updated on campus news.