What is a Sacramento Leadership Fellowship?
On May 21, 2008, when Drexel University announced that it would open Drexel University Sacramento in California, it also announced that it would offer tuition support for academically qualified students. These fellowships will only be awarded for programs starting in or before September 2011, which is the term following the graduation of the first cohort of students from Drexel University Sacramento.
Why is Drexel offering them?
Drexel University Sacramento is the first campus Drexel has opened outside of the Philadelphia area in its 118-year history. When the University’s trustees approved it, they made it clear that the graduate center in Sacramento had to equal or exceed the Philadelphia campus in terms of quality — quality of facilities, quality of educational programming, and quality of students. We also quickly determined that the Sacramento region was facing a significant leadership succession problem, with “Baby Boomers” currently occupying the leadership positions in upper- and middle-management, most just a few years away from retirement. For that reason, we decided to concentrate on educating the next generation of leaders. The Sacramento Leadership Fellowships were designed to attract that high level of quality for the programs we will be offering at Drexel University Sacramento.
How will these fellowships be awarded?
The amount of the Leadership Fellowship will be established at the time of a student's acceptance into the program and will apply thereafter to all graduate credits taken by the recipient in the degree program for which it has been awarded. The award is a fixed dollar amount per credit hour, not a percentage.
Who is eligible for a Sacramento Leadership Fellowship?
Every student who is admitted to the Sacramento Graduate Center is automatically considered for a Leadership Fellowship. No further application is necessary.
What is considered in awarding Leadership Fellowships?
Leadership Fellowships are awarded solely on the basis of academic merit. The review will include the accepted student’s undergraduate grade point average, graduate grade point average and degrees (if applicable), and the results of any entry tests that are required (GMAT, GRE).
What is Drexel’s tuition?
Drexel’s tuition is applied on a credit hour basis, and varies according to degree program. Tuition information is available on Drexel’s website. While Drexel is ranked among the top 50 private, nonprofit universities in the country, its tuition rates are competitive with similar graduate programs offered in California (though many of Drexel’s programs are not otherwise available in the Sacramento region).
Can a Sacramento Leadership Fellowship be combined with matching funds from an employer?
Yes, Drexel hopes employers will also value the graduate degree program being pursued by the employee, and will strive to support the leadership fellow with tuition assistance.
What Drexel academic programs are covered by this scholarship?
The Sacramento Leadership Fellowship is only available for graduate programs offered at Drexel University Sacramento. They will be applied as long as the student is taking at least 6 credits per term in the graduate program and maintaining a minimum 3.0 grade point average.
Can students receiving Sacramento Leadership Fellowships also receive other fellowships or scholarships from Drexel?
Sacramento Leadership Fellowship recipients who also work in public service will be awarded an additional 5% tuition grant, provided that the value of the total amount of fellowships from Drexel does not exceed half of the tuition. Drexel has also agreed to offer special leadership grants for award by several area Chambers of Commerce which may be combined, by their terms, with Sacramento Leadership Fellowships (please consult those program descriptions). With these few exceptions that are explicitly mentioned in the descriptions for those programs, the Sacramento Leadership Fellowship cannot be combined with any other grant, fellowship, or scholarship available from Drexel University.
What happens if a student with a Leadership Fellowship is laid off?
Any student entering in the fall of 2009 or later will be eligible for a Bridge to the Future Grant if laid off from full-time employment. When awarded, the Bridge Grant will provide half-tuition support and would replace any and all other fellowships or grants offered by Drexel. Once the student is re-employed, the Leadership Fellowship will be reinstated as the Bridge Grant ends. Please consult the Bridge to the Future Grant program description for additional information.
Must eligible students also apply for loans or other financial aid?
No, but all Sacramento Leadership Fellowship recipients are encouraged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Drexel will work with each applicant to help determine eligibility for other need-based aid programs.
What does a Sacramento Leadership Fellowship cover?
A Leadership Fellowship is an academic tuition award for programs offered through Drexel University Sacramento, and cannot be applied to fees, books, or other educational expenses.