Council Seeks to End FSU Scholarship Program

On Sunday, Feb. 2, the Cumberland Times-News reported that beneficiaries of the Rocky Gap Local Impact Fund, including those that receive Allegany County Opportunity Scholarships may see changes in their benefits. 

Per the January 2014 memorandum signed by former Allegany County Commissioners Michael McKay and Bill Valentine and current commissioner Creade Brodie, prospective and current students who are local residents of Allegany County would receive the Allegany County Opportunity Scholarship in order to attend Frostburg State University or Allegany College of Maryland. 

Current officials are revising the way they distribute the funds, with the likely result being more money going to fire and EMS companies while phasing out the scholarship fund. 

“A vote was taken earlier this year that will phase out the opportunity scholarship monies,” Maryland General Assembly Delegate Jason Buckel said. “I think it was about $100,000 divided between ACM and FSU. Eventually, those monies will be repurposed.”

Disbursements from the Local Impact Fund, according to Buckel, are determined by the area’s 15-member Local Development Council and then voted on by the Allegany County Board of Commissioners. Buckel, who sits on the LDC along with Sen. George Edwards and Del. Mike McKay, said the council voted unanimously to end the opportunity scholarship program. 

Del. McKay was one of the original signing members of the memorandum establishing the scholarship fund when he was a County Commissioner. Del. McKay also served on the Allegany County Board of Education from 2010 until 2014. 

Other members of the council are Skylar Dice, the General Manager of Rocky Gap Casino, Allegany County Sheriff Craig Robertson, 1812 Brewery owner Cory McCaugh, Allegany County Health Officer Jenelle Mayer, Bob Mallow of Mallow Auction Services, Autumn Eirich, Steve Hout, Jenny Krampf, Brian Miller, Dottie Ruby, and Sam Wilson. The council is chaired by Jason Bennett, CPA and Allegany County Director of Finance. 

Del. McKay spoke with TBL by telephone on Tuesday, Feb. 4. McKay says that the Allegany County Opportunity Scholarship was originally intended to have a lifespan of ten years. “However, once we got into it, we found out that we needed a council and that made the original contract between FSU and the council null and void.” The parties never signed another contract, says McKay. “And not that we would take FSU to court or they would take us, but to be fair, five years is all we promised.” 

The five-year contract ended in 2019, per McKay. To lessen the blow, the council decided to extend the scholarship through the 2020-2021 school year and ending it thereafter. This extension represents a total of seven years of funding.

McKay told the Times-News, “It was never designed to be a long-term funding source. As the needs change, so does the allotment of funds. One is on the front burner now, which is fire and EMS, which will soon cost the county $4 million. There is no designated revenue for that. We all agreed we would give a one-year notice to ACM and FSU that this will be the last year. They are required to put 10% back so there is still some money that I think is there.”

However, the decision of the council is not final. The current Allegany County Commissioners, Jake Shade, Dave Caporale, and Creade Brodie, can overturn the decision and continue to fund the Allegany County Opportunity Scholarship, says McKay.

The first scholarships were awarded to students in the fall of 2014. Then-President Jonathan Gibralter indicated that over the next five to 10 years, “FSU is

expecting $10 million worth of award funding from the county, with all funds deriving from the revenue of Rocky Gap Casino.” 

Gibralter felt that the Allegany County Opportunity Scholarships would provide great opportunities to local students wishing to seek higher education close to home. Moreover, the substantial relief to the poorest region in Maryland was hailed as a primary motivator for establishing the fund. 

Gibralter believed many local residents who are awarded this scholarship would attend Frostburg State University and graduate with their degree. He recognized Allegany Commissioners were looking at this scholarship as a means of economic development for the region.

Former Commissioner Valentine told TBL, “I created the scholarship in 2013 because we have hundreds of jobs available in this area, but our workforce is not properly qualified. My idea was to help our students afford college here, then help them find employment, allowing them to remain here and raise a family here.” 

Indeed, the program was working to fulfill those goals. 

Liz Medcalf, FSU’s Director of News and Media Services, reports of the 315 students who received the award and have graduated, 84% still live in Allegany County and another 3% live outside the county but within 20 miles of Frostburg. In all, 610 local students have received this award since 2014.

FSU’s current President, Ronald H. Nowaczyk, says the proposal to reallocate the scholarship funds concerns him. “It directly impacts our students. I am particularly worried about the impact on those students and their families who are counting on these funds to be able to go to college.” 

Moreover, President Nowaczyk is concerned about those local students who have received the Allegany County Opportunity Scholarship for the first time saying that these 80 students, “should be able to plan on similar support to get them to graduation.”

In total, the scholarship fund has dispersed over $1 million dollars in funds to local students. 

Recipients of the scholarship must have an overall grade point average of at least 3.0. Applicants must be a resident of Allegany County for a period of at least three full years prior to the beginning of the academic semester for which the scholarship award would apply and students must demonstrate adequate academic progress as defined by FSU in order to remain eligible for the scholarship.

CTN reported Buckel said he’s always supported the scholarships, which he said averaged about $600 to $700 dollars, but didn’t know if there was evidence to suggest they have increased enrollment at local colleges.

Former Commissioner Valentine disagrees. “Despite Delegate Buckel’s comments in the Times-News, both FSU and ACM saw a definite increase in Allegany County students. Every report that I received showed that the program was working,” says Valentine.

McKay isn’t worried about the funding gap created by this decision. “There are tremendous scholarships out there. As silly as it sounds, my brother got money for being left-handed.” 

Moreover, McKay says that because of the recent passing of the Promise Scholarship which gives Maryland students access to free community college, that students should “start there and find ways to make it happen.”

Despite McKay and Buckel’s optimism, others are concerned about how this will impact Frostburg. Vice President for Enrollment Management, Ms. Arlene Cash, is working with financial aid to determine the overall impact of the loss of these funds and expresses concern over the decision. 

Indeed others have even harsher critiques.

“This is a foolish decision,” says Valentine.