By Shawna Lent
Five other states participate in similar programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Maryland
The Office of Student Financial Assistance at the Maryland Higher Education Commission administers the scholarships, which are divided into two different types – the senatorial scholarship and the delegate scholarship.
Each of the 188 legislators gets a set amount every year to award. Sen. Allen Kittleman said each senator is allowed to give up to $130,000 each year, while the delegates hand out a different amount.
Liz Urbanski, a higher education commission staff member, says if lawmakers don’t want to nominate a recipient, they have the choice of asking the commission to do so. The other option, a less popular choice, lets the lawmakers put the money toward other scholarship programs.
The scholarship is available for students attending any two-year or four-year public or private institution in Maryland, and can also be used at out-of-state schools, providing that the student’s major is unavailable at a Maryland school.
Louisiana
These scholarships are only available to students who attend Tulane University. Since the late 1800’s, all 143 lawmakers in Louisiana, in conjunction with Tulane University, have been able to nominate one student per year to receive a minimum one-year scholarship to the private school.
They are awarded based on a legislator’s nomination, but if the student nominated is not eligible, or the scholarship recipient doesn’t enroll in Tulane, lawmakers can choose another student – or they can choose to have Tulane award the scholarship.
The application process and the eligibility requirements vary slightly for incoming freshman compared to currently enrolled Tulane students.
Washington
The Washington’s Scholars Program, created in 1981, chooses three students each year from each of the state’s 49 legislative districts to receive the award, for a total of 147 lawmakers.
The selection process differs from how other states handle the process; high school principals nominate the top 1 percent of their graduating class – based on academics, leadership and community service.
The Higher Education Coordinating Board administers it. A selection committee in the board, made up of high school principals and college admissions officers, makes the decision, and the maximum awards vary based on the university or college.
North Carolina
The North Carolina Legislative Tuition Grant Program was created in 1975 and is administered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. It is designed for either full-time or part-time students hoping to attend independent, non-profit institutions.
The award amount is determined by the North Carolina General Assembly and was $1,950 for the 2008-2009 academic year.
New Mexico
The General Richard T. Knowles Scholarship program gives each of New Mexico’s 112 lawmakers the power to nominate a student from their district to be considered for the award. The catch? It’s only available to New Mexico Military Institute cadets.
Applications are sent to the office of admissions at New Mexico Military Institute, and they then send each file to the district legislators for review. The individual legislators make a selection and notify the scholarship coordinator.
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