HARROGATE, Tenn. - U.S. Representative Harold “Hal” Rogers (R. -Ky.) made his way into Tennessee to be on hand Monday at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate for the announcement that LMU will offer full tuition scholarships to students who complete the Rogers Scholars program.

“This partnership is very valuable. It helps the mission of LMU and helps to serve the mission of The Center for Rural Development as well,” said Rogers. “These scholarships represent a significant investment in the future of our region. I could not be more pleased to see LMU rewarding the hard work of these bright young men and women by providing them with greater access to a quality education.”

The Rogers Scholars program was developed and initiated by Kentucky's Center for Rural Development in 1998 to address and reverse the high level of outmigration suffered by its rural service area. The program's namesake is Congressman Rogers, who represents Kentucky's Fifth District. It is designed to help The Center move toward its vision that no young person should have to leave their home region to find their future - they can find it in Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

“In the past, young people have had to follow the jobs because there weren't any opportunities here,” said Rogers, who told of leaving his hometown of Monticello, Kentucky, to follow his brother to Cincinnati, Ohio, for a job. “There was a tremendous migration to the industrial North.”

Dr. Nancy B. Moody, LMU President, stated that there are 42 counties represented by The Center for Rural Development, and LMU is the only school physically outside the Center's service area that is included in the program. LMU has two extended sites Kentucky at Southeast Community College in Cumberland and Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin.

“We are very proud of these relationships,” Moody said. “We are very appreciative of this opportunity.”

LMU is a factor in retaining youth in the area, she stated. The university is a significant contributor to the area economy, she said, with 60 percent of the $30 million budget going to faculty and staff salaries and benefits. In the near future it is estimated the budget will triple, with plans such as the addition of a master's program in nursing this fall and the proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine, slated for a Fall 2007 opening.

“No young person should have to leave this region for work,” said Moody, adding that 65 percent of LMU graduates live and serve within 75 miles of the main campus.

Students apply for the Rogers Scholars program during their sophomore year in high school, and those selected through a competitive process attend the program during the summer before their junior year. The program is in Somerset, Kentucky, and the surrounding area, with most events taking place at The Center. Students are housed at a local hotel, and all lodging, meals and program expenses (with the exception of transportation to and from the program) are free to the student.

Rogers Scholars is an intensive, weeklong program focusing on developing skills in leadership, technology, entrepreneurship, and community service. Activities are both educational and fun, and the week is filled with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for these young people. The students are encouraged to consider utilizing their talents to make their livelihood in their home region; to become leaders in the continued efforts to improve the quality of life in Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

“As Congressman Rogers has stated many times, a principal goal of the Rogers Scholars program is to create an environment where no young person will need to leave home to find his or her future,” Lonnie Lawson, President and CEO of The Center for Rural Development, said. “The program seeks to educate and motivate the region's best and brightest minds to return home after they complete their educational training and help create a better and brighter future for all of Southern and Eastern Kentucky.”

The program is now in its ninth year, said Lawson, and has graduated 419 scholars up to this point.

“These scholarships will have the greatest long-term impact on these students of anything we can do,” he added. “We want to educate them here and keep them here.”

Rogers gave examples of projects The Center for Rural Development has initiated or supported which contribute to halting the movement of young people from the area: the flood projects in Middlesboro and Pineville; the Cumberland Gap Tunnel; PRIDE, which addresses trash and litter problems in Southeast Kentucky; UNITE, which targets drug problems in young people; and tourist development programs such as First Frontier. He said he hopes the planting of 130,000 new redbuds over the last year will help to make a regional Redbud Festival a reality, and added he hopes that Southeast Kentucky can eventually emulate Knoxville, Tennessee's annual Dogwood Festival.

“We want to see our young people stay here,” Rogers said. “This scholars program may spur these excellent scholars to stay at home, and make a better place for them and their descendants.”

Rogers, who received an honorary doctorate from LMU in the mid-1980s, added that LMU “has always held a warm spot in my heart.”

A full tuition scholarship, currently valued at $13,750 for the 2005-06 school year, will be offered to all Rogers Scholars graduates who meet certain criteria. Others will be granted one-half tuition scholarships, and the scholarships will be renewable for an additional three years provided the student meets minimum requirements.

Additionally, LMU will offer partial scholarships to qualifying Rogers Scholars applicants who are not selected to participate in the program. These students will be known as East Kentucky Scholars. Based on their ACT/SAT and high school GPA, they could be awarded additional funding ranging to full tuition.

During the announcement several people in the audience were recognized, including Bob Vaughn of Middlesboro, a board member for The Center for Rural Development, and Amber Taylor of Bell County, a current Rogers Scholar program participant.

Marisa Anders is the Managing Editor for the Middlesboro Daily News. She can be reached via e-mail at manders@middlesborodailynews.com.