Your gift to UAB can go twice as far and have a lasting impact on a student’s life through the Blazing the Way Scholarship Match Initiative at UAB. Scholarships are a vital part of UAB, and this unique partnership helps to increase the number of scholarships being awarded by matching donor investments.
Scholarships are an investment in the future of students and UAB. Fostering the education of bright students not only promotes their success and increases retention, but it also helps to ensure students’ talents remain in Alabama after they graduate. The average cost for a full-time student can start at $12,190 per year, and tuition and living expenses continue to outpace inflation annually. This places greater importance on the need for donor-funded scholarships, and the Blazing the Way Scholarship Match Initiative offers these unique features:
Your investments are doubled.
With a 1:1 match from UAB for annual scholarships, you can help a student build toward his or her future.
Endowment scholarships can be awarded immediately.
As you grow your endowment, UAB will provide the spendable portion of the payout for five years to allow the scholarship to be immediately awarded while the full pledge builds
Scholarships are eligible for naming.
You also have the ability to set additional criteria such as need or participation in a particular course of study or department.
How it works
Through your participation in this initiative with UAB, you can double the financial impact for students. You can choose to invest in an annual or endowed scholarship at various levels, which will allow UAB to recruit and retain talented individuals.
Benefiting UAB
These scholarships allow UAB to advance within a very competitive marketplace, as students often consider multiple universities and scholarship packages before deciding to enroll. Reducing the financial burden on a student increases the likelihood that he or she will progress toward degree completion in a timely manner. Students are more likely to enter the job market sooner and with less debt. Positive correlations have been shown between increased scholarship spending and improved retention and graduation rates.
FAQS
Who will receive my scholarship?
Funds are made available to students meeting academic criteria. You can also set additional criteria such as need or participation in a particular course of study or department.
What is an endowment?
An endowment is long-term investment in UAB, held in perpetuity, that will provide scholarships, support funds, and other benefits to students and faculty year after year. For more information about endowments, click here.
How long do I have to fully fund my endowment?
The Blazing the Way Endowment Scholarship allows five years for the payout of a pledge.
When will my scholarship begin distributing from its earnings?
The scholarship will not distribute from its earnings for the first five years. UAB will provide funds to be immediately available for awarding so that the fund will grow.
How much will my scholarship endowment distribute?
A distribution amount is predetermined by UAB each year (currently calculated as 4.5% of the moving-market unit value during the previous five fiscal years). Your fund will receive the fixed UAB match regardless of investment performance.
For more information about the program and how you can participate, contact Lisa Pritchett at
When are payments and documentation due?
All documentation and first pledge payments are due by March 1 to be awarded for the fall semester. Every year after that, pledge payments are due by March 1 to be awarded for the continuing fall semester.
