Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ

Up to 20 freshman students at Stephen F. Austin State University with financial need will have the opportunity to receive a full scholarship, housing allowance and one-on-one tutoring through scholarships offered by one of the larger privately funded scholarship programs in the state.

The need-based scholarships will be awarded by the Smith-Hutson Scholarship program beginning in fall 2015 to students who demonstrate academic potential. The cumulative value of each scholarship is approximately $70,000.

The scholarship program was established in 1996, and more than 192 scholarship recipients now hold university degrees. Smith-Hutson scholarships are awarded at Angelina College, Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar University and Sam Houston State University.

"We are honored that the Smith-Hutson Scholarship program has chosen to assist students at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ," said Dr. Baker Pattillo, university president. "The generosity of the individuals who have contributed to this philanthropic organization is inspiring, and they truly are making a substantial difference in the lives of each scholarship recipient."

Robert E. Hutson, a Lufkin native and retired Houston-area banker, is the administrator of the scholarship program, which is funded by a private family foundation that makes no solicitations for contributions.

The selection process will include an applicant interview with members of a selection committee. Applicants must not be married and must not have children. Students who maintain a 2.5 grade point average will be eligible for annual renewal of the scholarship for four years.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ faculty members who will serve as members of the on-campus advisory council for the program are Drs. Todd Brown and Ann Wilson, both interim associate deans in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, and Dr. Janet Tareilo, associate dean of the James I. Perkins College of Education.

"For an Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ student with an earnest desire to earn a degree, these scholarships will provide generous support and eliminate financial barriers to a successful college experience," Pattillo said. "We believe the recipients will have a better opportunity to become productive citizens and leaders in their chosen professions and in their communities."

For more information about the program, call (936) 468-3101 or visit the website.