Indiana University East distributed $2.6 million in scholarships today to area high school guidance counselors from Indiana and Ohio during its annual Counselors’ Breakfast held Wednesday, November 7.

“We are collaborating with high school counselors to increase the level of attainment in the communities we serve together,” said interim Chancellor Nasser Paydar. “By providing counselors with this tool, we are investing in the future of individual students and our region.”

Sixty-five guidance counselors attended the special event at IU East, and each counselor present received $40,000 worth of scholarships to give to students in their high schools that meet the academic and admission requirements at IU East.

“We are excited to announce these new scholarships to guidance counselors,” IU East Director of Admissions Molly Vanderpool said. “The scholarships will allow IU East to reward students for their outstanding academic achievements in high school with a significant scholarship.”

Vanderpool explained that counselors might use the scholarships to help outstanding students who may not have the financial resources to pursue a bachelor’s degree full-time or who are committed to building their success in this part of the state.

Sally Porter, Richmond High School guidance counselor, said the ability to provide her students with scholarships was a welcome opportunity.

“IU East has always worked well with Richmond High School. We are just so pleased to have these scholarships available to provide to our students,” Porter said.

During the program, counselors learned about IU East’s new mission as a baccalaureate-degree granting campus and its plans for continued growth. This fall semester, IU East experienced the largest enrollment growth compared to any other Indiana University campus. In addition, the Richmond campus had more students choose IU East directly from high school, breaking the previous incoming freshmen class record. These students also had the highest average GPAs, highest SAT/ACT scores and the highest high school class rankings in IU East campus history.