In an effort to reverse Nebraska’s brain drain and compete more effectively for top talent, Governor Jim Pillen and University of Nebraska officials announced a new scholarship for the state’s top ACT scorers.
Beginning in the 2024-25 academic year, the Office of the President will fund a new Nebraska Presidential Scholars Program that will cover tuition, fees, books, housing and all other costs of attendance, plus a $5,000 annual stipend, for any Nebraska student who scores a perfect 36 on the ACT.
“This is a simple, but powerful, message to our best and brightest young people: We want you on Team Nebraska,” Pillen says. “As I travel around the state and talk to business and community leaders, something I hear again and again is that we need to do a better job of competing for talent.
Interim NU President Chris Kabourek says the University of Nebraska needs to play a leading role and the Presidential Scholars Program is part of the answer to the Governor’s call. “I’m embarrassed that so many of Nebraska’s best and brightest are leaving our state because they are enticed by more competitive offers. This new scholarship sends a strong message that we want these kids to stay in Nebraska and we are going to go compete for them.”
On average over the past three years, about 600 Nebraska students a year score at least a 33, including about 30 who score a perfect 36. But less than half of those students enroll at the University of Nebraska, including only 22 percent of students with a 36. Meanwhile, Nebraska faces a persistent brain drain, at a time when the state urgently needs more workforce to fill current and future jobs.
Kabourek says the university’s goal is to enroll 80 percent of students who score a 33 or higher.