Preview Union’s expanded opportunities March 23

Rachel Dorroh • February 29, 2024

Three Union students conversing in front of the Weeks-Townsend Memorial Library.

Union College invites prospective students and parents to register for Spring Preview Day to experience campus life and learn about all Union has to offer, including multiple new and expanded scholarships. The March 23 event starts at 9 a.m. and includes presentations, tours, free lunch, and a chance to win an extra $1,000 scholarship just for attending.

“Preview Day is a time for students and families to meet us and see what Union’s all about,” says Vice President for Enrollment Dr. David Williams. “As a small college, we really strive to give each student that one-to-one support Union’s known for, and that’s what they’ll experience on Preview Day.”

Williams explains that the day includes a Major Fair, where students will get to talk with professors from all programs to learn more about each major. Additionally, admissions counselors and financial aid officers will be available to answer questions and help students fill out applications for admissions and financial aid. They can also help students understand which scholarships they may be eligible for.

“We’ve worked hard to make the award process simple and straightforward for parents and students,” Williams says. “One hundred percent of our students receive scholarships at Union College. We’ve got something for everyone.”

Union’s new scholarship opportunities fall into three categories: Knox County students, financial need, and academic excellence:

Knox County students

Trustee Scholarship

Beginning with the freshmen class of 2024, one student from each of these three local high schools – Knox Central, Barbourville, and Lynn Camp – will be eligible for a full ride at Union. Tuition, room, and board will be covered. To qualify, students must achieve a GPA of 3.5 or higher and an ACT score of 30 or higher. The awards will then be granted on a first come, first-served basis once enrollment deposit is paid.

Local High School Scholarship

Graduates of the three Knox County high schools automatically receive awards of $1,000 per academic year.

Financial need

Union Distinction

The Union Distinction Scholarship serves students of highest financial need and covers 100% of tuition. All Pell Eligible Kentucky students can receive the Union Distinction scholarship. The award used to apply only to local counties but now includes all of Kentucky. Roughly 60% of Union’s incoming class is projected to meet the criteria for free tuition.

Academic excellence

Sharp Scholarship

Also new for the freshmen class of 2024, an unlimited number of students can now qualify for free tuition. To be eligible, students must achieve a GPA of 3.5 or higher and an ACT score of 27 or higher. This is a change from Union’s previous full tuition scholarship, which required an ACT score of 32. Union leadership reevaluated the ACT requirement for free tuition to make it more in line with comparative schools in the area.

Academic Merit Scholarships

Academic scholarships start at $15,000 for a 2.0 GPA and go up to $22,000. ACT scores are no longer needed to qualify.

Students need to do things to find out which scholarships they are eligible for: apply to Union and fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). On Preview Day, the admissions team and financial aid counselors can help with these applications and can also answer questions about award letters students who already applied may have received.

To register, go to Preview Day | Union College (unionky.edu) or call Debbie Ross at (606) 546-1751.

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