FINISH IN FOUR

A lifetime of opportunity opens for students when they graduate from college. You can help ensure they earn their degree on time.

Students come to Oregon State University with enormous potential, but sometimes talent and hard work aren’t enough for them to stay in school. The bottom line is financial, and some just don’t have the resources they need.

This has to change.

Among the top three goals in the university’s strategic plan for 2024-30 is that OSU will become a university where every student graduates.

Currently, students with high financial need and underrepresented students of color typically graduate at rates 10% lower than their higher income peers.

The university’s new Finish in Four program is designed to close those gaps and make it possible for more Oregon resident students to graduate in four years with little to no debt. Renewable, four-year scholarships are our top priority for student success funding.

This ambitious effort is without precedent at OSU, and its success relies on the engagement of our entire community – university, supporters, staff and students. Join us.

Make a gift now to the Finish in Four Scholarship Fund.

MEETING NEED WHERE IT IS

OSU students with the fewest financial resources may qualify for federal and state grants, but add up costs for tuition, room, board, books, etc., and they will still have a gap between the costs of attending college and what their financial aid covers. In fact, the average unmet need for students seeking financial assistance is $13,500 per year.

We can change this, together.

OSU’s new Finish in Four program will provide four-year scholarships for low-income Oregon resident students, but the program is more than financial aid: it’s part of a multifaceted, university-wide effort designed to help students thrive. Program participants will be part of a supportive cohort that builds a sense of belonging. They’ll receive financial education as well as academic counseling.

All Oregon undergraduates attending the Corvallis or OSU-Cascades campus will be automatically considered for the program. To be eligible for renewal each year, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress, continue to meet the financial profile criteria and participate in program activities. Participating students will be expected to earn $2,000 annually from a campus-based or other job to help contribute to the cost of attendance.

You can help eliminate the financial gap for OSU’s highest need students, bridging the diﬀerence between the resources they have and the actual cost of an OSU degree.

Gifts of every size: Provide an additional source of funding for students on top of financial aid packages.
$16,000 gift: Provides a $4,000 scholarship to one student for four years.
$100,000 gift: The minimum amount needed to create an endowed Finish in Four scholarship, which will provide annual scholarship funding (approximately $4,000 per year) in perpetuity.

$1 million gift: Creates an endowment that provides $40,000 in Finish in Four scholarships every year, in perpetuity.

Donors who create an endowed scholarship may choose to support students in a specific college; they also may name their scholarship to honor a family legacy, business or loved one. Finish in Four scholarships that are university-wide are also a great option, as they provide maximum flexibility as students may change majors.

6,150

Number of OSU undergraduates in 2023-24 who qualify for federal educational grants for high financial need (excluding Ecampus)

47%

Percentage of OSU students unable to meet school expenses with family contributions, their own work earnings and grants

$21,221

Average debt among OSU graduates

To learn more about Finish in Four and how you can support OSU students, contact:

DENISE HARRISON
Director of Development
Scholarships and University Initiatives
541-609-9661

SCOTT ELMSHAEUSER
Director of Development
College of Engineering
541-224-3992

OSU must pursue every possible means of ensuring each student graduates. Students are the heart of our university. They are why we are here. We must support their dreams for a better life for themselves and their families, for fulfilling work, for lives of impact. When we do, we position Oregon for a future that is more equitable and prosperous – and that will benefit every one of us.

Jayathi Murthy

OSU President