“It’s a great day to be a Swede,” said Bethany President Will Jones Thursday morning on the campus at Bethany College in Lindsborg. Soon, many more area high school graduates could be donning the blue and yellow of the Swedes and calling Bethany home.

Bethany College is offering tuition-free scholarships to all students graduating from a McPherson or Saline County high school for the next five years beginning in the fall of 2017.

President Jones made the announcement at an all-school assembly at Smoky Valley High School in Lindsborg Thursday morning. Students in the 8th – 12^th grades were given certificates entitling them to a Bethany Good Life Scholarship valued at more than $110,000.

The Bethany Good Life Scholarship is made possible through the generous donations of many of the college’s local donors. The four-year, tuition-free scholarship is available to first-time college freshmen graduating from any McPherson or Saline County high school upon acceptance into Bethany College. Recipients of the scholarship are required to live on campus.

According to Jones, Bethany College has 5 residence halls and room and board is about $9,000 a year. “Students who qualify would still be eligible for Pell Grants and other aid programs,” Jones said.

“Bethany wants to make a strong investment in our community,” President Jones said. “These scholarships will give young people in our home counties an opportunity to attend college close to home and hopefully keep them in our area after they graduate. Bethany is interested in doing all it can to enhance our community. A strong local community makes for a strong Bethany College, and a strong Bethany College makes for a strong local community.”

President Jones tells KSAL News that the idea was born this summer during a retreat with the college board and cabinet. Those conversations led to a way for Bethany College to show its graditude for 135 years of support from McPherson and Saline Counties.

Glen Suppes, superintendent of USD 400, commended Bethany College for what he called a “wonderful gift” to local students. “We are extremely excited about the announcement of this scholarship for our students,” he said. “This presents hundreds of our local students an opportunity to take advantage of participating in an outstanding local college education. Hats off to Bethany for making it a priority to serve the youth in our local community. Our kids are the winners today.”

“Bethany College strives to educate students to become successful professionals who love God and love people,” President Jones said. “We want every student in our area to have an opportunity to receive a Bethany education.”

The Bethany Good Life Scholarship is made possible through the generous donations of many of the college’s local donors. The four-year, tuition-free scholarship is available to first-time college freshmen graduating from any McPherson or Saline County high school upon acceptance into Bethany College. Recipients of the scholarship are required to live on-campus.

“These students will have an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of many Bethany alumni that have gone on to lead lives of significance,” Matt Pfannenstiel, dean of admissions and financial aid, said. “The scholarship ensures students in McPherson and Saline Counties a quality Bethany academic experience in a supportive environment without the worry of affordability. Living on campus allows students to experience the college lifestyle even when they are close to home. We also know that students living on campus perform better academically and are more successful all-round.”

President Jones also announced the availability of Bethany’s Merit Scholarships. These scholarships offer $7,500 to $16,000 to other Kansas resident that meets the academic guidelines based on grade point average and standardized test scores.

The college plans several informational sessions to share more details about the Bethany Good Life Scholarship with students and parents. Students can also participate in the upcoming Visit Day on January 16, 2017 to learn more about the scholarship. Details about all of Bethany’s scholarships can be found here.