Montrose, COLO.— For the third year in a row, Montrose County was awarded scholarship funds from the 2017-2018 Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) Matching Student Scholarship grant.  The grant was approved for $45,322 and all funds are directed to the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Foundation.

“The availability of higher education in our county is paramount to a successful workforce,” said Commissioner Roger Rash.  “Whether traditional or non-traditional students, these funds will help deserving Montrose County students pay for their education.”

“Our continued partnerships like the one we have in Montrose with the county and Colorado Mesa University has contributed significantly to the overall success of COSI,” said Shelley Banker, director for the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative. “To date COSI has matched $13.7 million in donations, awarding over $27 million in scholarships. These scholarships have had a profound impact on the lives of individuals in both our urban and rural communities, allowing us to reach students throughout our entire state.”

Scholarship funds will be awarded to students attending the CMU Campus in Montrose.  In order to secure the grant funding, the Colorado Mesa University Foundation provided the required match of $45,322, making the total scholarship dollars available approximately $90,000 for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

 Montrose County Government Affairs Director Jon Waschbusch administers the county’s involvement in the COSI program. “The county’s partnership with CMU has been strong for many years. By working together to leverage COSI funding, we’ve been successful in creating higher educational opportunities for local students. It’s been a pleasure to see the results for the students.”

“By partnering with Montrose County, CMU Montrose has been able to provide scholarships to 50 students who were eligible based on their financial need and academic performance,” said Gary Ratcliff, the director of the Montrose campus.  

For more information about the scholarship, please contact Gary Ratcliff at 249-7009.