Jacobs Foundation Scholarships Will Support Wellington Students At Palm Beach Atlantic

Wellington The Magazine-August 2016

Jacobs Foundation Scholarships Will Support Wellington Students At Palm Beach Atlantic

By Julie Unger

Several Palm Beach Atlantic University students will be receiving the gift of education thanks to the Jacobs Family Foundation, which is providing the school with $30,000 in scholarships to be spread out over the course of three years.

The scholarship is specifically for Wellington residents, and the $10,000 per year will be divided between five to eight students to assist with their education. The number of recipients will vary based upon the number of students who are qualified. “This is the first year that our students have the opportunity to be recipients of that,” Palm Beach Atlantic Vice President for Admissions Tim Worley said.

The Jacobs Family Foundation has a longstanding history of support and involvement in education.

“Our family sincerely believes that education is the cornerstone of opportunity, both for individuals and for the community,” JFF Board Member Lou Jacobs said. “We’ve supported education programs at all levels, but we believe this one meets a unique need by supporting adults who are highly motivated and really want to complete their degree, but would probably not be able to without scholarship assistance.”

In order to qualify for the scholarship, Wellington residents must be involved in specific programs offered by the MacArthur School of Leadership. In the fall, students are able to enter the semester in late August/early September and in October.

“We’re excited about the opportunity that the Jacobs scholarship provides for potential students,” Worley said.

Scholarship applications are expected to be assigned in August, Worley said, noting that students should still apply. Even if they are not eligible for the first round of scholarships, there will be more. Throughout the summer, he explained, students are still applying to the school’s graduate, evening and online programs.

The scholarship means a great deal to Palm Beach Atlantic’s administration, which is excited to be able to offer the scholarship to adult students in graduate and undergraduate programs.

“We’re very grateful, very fortunate, to have the Jacobs family invest in the university in this capacity. It means a lot to us because it allows us to have the opportunity to offer more students the PBA experience,” Worley said. “I think it will mean the most to the students, because it will provide financial assistance to them and very likely allow some to attend PBA who would not have been able to without that scholarship.”

Former teacher Katie Jacobs Robinson, also a JFF board member, stressed that access to education is key.

“I’ve seen first-hand how people’s lives can be transformed by education. For adult students in particular, pursuing a college degree can be a real challenge due to family and work commitments,” she said. “We hope this scholarship program will open doors of opportunity for members of our community, and to do so without going far from home.”

The school’s campus in West Palm Beach is just a short drive from Wellington, making it convenient for students to attend classes while working or raising families. The school also operates a campus on State Road 7 in Wellington.

“It’s great that the Jacobs family has invested locally and they’re trying to help provide opportunities for Wellington residents to further their education,” Worley said. “We want to thank the Jacobs family for their investment in the students and their trust in the university. We’re grateful that we’re going to be able to impact Wellington residents with the scholarship.”

JFF Board Member Charlie Jacobs emphasized the foundation’s support for Wellington, and why the foundation chose Palm Beach Atlantic for its scholarship. “Palm Beach Atlantic, under the stewardship of President Bill Fleming, is working hard to help the Wellington community, and their Wellington campus is a great asset to this village which we also call our home,” he said. “Our foundation aims to support programs that have a significant impact, over the long-term, in Wellington. Education is one of our four focus areas. Therefore, this scholarship program is a perfect fit, and we’re proud to provide our support.”

Worley and other school officials are appreciative of the foundation’s scholarship and the impact it will have on students. Over the next three years, more than a dozen students will have an opportunity they might not have otherwise had without the scholarship.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to work with the Jacobs Family Foundation to bring more opportunities to Wellington residents in the future,” he said.

For more information about the Jacobs Family Foundation, visit www.jffwellington.org. For more information about the scholarship, call the Office of Graduate, Evening & Online Admissions at (561) 803-2122. Learn more about Palm Beach Atlantic University programs and classes at www.pba.edu.

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