Enhancing Private Scholarship Support at UA: A System-Wide Transformation

February 20, 2025

The University of ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ(UA) is making significant strides to improve its private scholarship process, creating more flexible, accessible, and student-friendly opportunities across the system. This initiative aims to reduce financial stress and enhance the academic experience for students.

Transition to Awarded: A New Scholarship Management System
A key part of this effort involves transitioning from Kaleidoscope to a new Scholarship Management System (SMS) called Awarded. This change will be accompanied by a new scholarship management policy designed to promote greater transparency, fairness and compliance in scholarship practices.

One notable policy update includes the future adoption of rolling deadlines for scholarship applications and selections. The traditional single deadline of February 15 has proven insufficient for meeting the diverse needs of all student populations. In the future, rolling deadlines will allow for better academic budget planning and more timely selections, ultimately benefiting students.

Supporting a Smooth Transition
To facilitate this transformation, UA is hiring additional Scholarship Process Improvement Coordinators at each university. These coordinators will play a pivotal role in guiding the transition and implementing the new process.

The phased rollout of Awarded is already underway, with key milestones scheduled throughout 2025. Although Kaleidoscope will be used to begin the 2025-2026 scholarship cycle, data transfer to Awarded is expected in spring, with a full transition planned for mid-summer.

Collaboration Across Campuses
Faculty and staff from UAA, UAF, UAS, the UA system, and the UA Foundation are collaborating regularly to ensure a seamless transition and to minimize disruptions. This joint effort is focused on enhancing the student experience through a more streamlined and effective scholarship management process.

For More Information
UAF - Iris Cato, iacato@alaska.edu
UAA - Peter Clemens, pcclemens@alaska.edu or Kristi Proctor, kproctor3@alaska.edu
UAS - Janelle Cook, jmcook3@alaska.edu

 

two women sit behind a booth, with blue table cover that reads "UA Foundation"
a male and female student stand in front of a table, with two women behind the table talking to them
Kodiak Island Scholarship Fair on Feb. 7, 2025 (Photos by by Nancy Castro)