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By: Kendra Ablaza
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), upon extending its existing bookstore services agreement with Barnes and Noble College Booksellers this fall, will continue offering textbook scholarships for students with high financial need during spring 2020.
Katie McBride, director of New Student & Retention Programs, says access to course textbooks is crucial to academic success for college, and students are not always prepared for the out of pocket costs associated with textbooks.
“We hear regularly from students who can’t afford their books and are doing poorly in their classes as a result,” McBride said. “We hope that these funds will make it easier for our students to purchase the books they need, especially students on our campuses who have high financial need.”
USM students may apply for spring 2020 awards on the University’s New Student and Retention Programs website beginning January 6, 2020. To be eligible for these funds, applicants must be full-time, undergraduate students based at USM’s Hattiesburg or Gulf Park campuses. Priority is given to students with unmet financial need as indicated by the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA).
New Student and Retention Programs, which awards textbook scholarship funds every semester, assists students and families as they transition into the university community, and offers guidance and support to students on their road to graduation. Through intentional practices and programming, the office ensures students connect, persist, and succeed at Southern Miss.
Awarded funds must be used at the USM Barnes and Noble bookstore in Hattiesburg or Gulf Park. All students who apply receive a decision via email.
The Barnes and Noble agreement continues through June 2022.
