NEODESHA — The Neodesha Promise Scholarship Program, which provides an opportunity for Neodesha High School graduates to afford college, has reached quite a milestone.
With 36 NHS students receiving promise scholarships in 2025, the program has awarded more than 550 scholarships to 184 graduates since its inception in 2019.
“The Neodesha Promise Scholarship Program has shaped my college experience in ways that go beyond financial support,” 2020 scholar Ashley Chandler said in a news release announcing the milestone. “The financial freedom it has provided has allowed me to focus fully on my education and personal growth, rather than worrying about student loans. Thanks to the Promise Scholarship, I feel fully prepared and confident as I transition into life after college graduation. The Promise has truly given me a head start on building a successful future.”
The program provides scholarships to eligible Neodesha High graduates covering tuition and mandatory fees at Pell Grant-approved institutions. Neodesha students receiving Promise Scholarships have attended more than 40 different institutions across seven states.
Scholarship awards are based on attendance factors; the longer a student has been a Neodesha student, the larger the award. If a student joins the district by 6th grade or earlier, 100% of tuition and mandatory fees are covered.
While the award can apply to any institution nationwide, the amount is based on the highest tuition charged by a State of Kansas university. The award will cover up to 120 credit hours; studies must be completed in 6 years.
Room and board, books, and other expenses are not covered.
To qualify, students must be in good standing. No matter what institution a student chooses to attend, they must have at least a 2.5 GPA. If they intend to earn a bachelor’s degree, a 21 on the ACT is required. Students who complete 100 hours of community service receive a 5% increase in their award.
Neodesha was the first Kansas community to adopt a college scholarship program specifically for its graduates, utilizing funds from an endowment through the Marilyn Cram Cutler Charitable Foundation.
The foundation was formed by NHS alumnus Ben Cutler, who retired in 2017 after a successful career in finance and insurance industries.
The Humboldt Promise, a similar program for USD 258 students, was created earlier this year by The Works Family Foundation. Like the Neodesha Promise program, it covers up to 100% of the cost of enrollment in college, university, or technical training for Humboldt graduates.
