“At SEMO, we know that access to a college education is a critical step toward achieving dreams and building a better future,” said SEMO President Dr. Brad Hodson. “Our new scholarship program is about removing barriers, opening doors, and supporting students financially, so they can focus on what matters most: learning, growing, and preparing for meaningful careers.”

The program offers renewable scholarships that are simple to apply for with qualities to expand access for students:

• Automatic Awarding: Most scholarships are granted automatically through the admissions process with no additional applications needed.
• Test-Optional and Superscore-Friendly: SEMO recognizes varied student strengths by considering the highest subscores from multiple ACT or SAT tests and welcoming students with strong academic performance even without test scores.
• Renewable Support: By maintaining credit hour and GPA requirements, students can renew their scholarships year after year, helping ensure continued progress toward their degrees.
• Variety: Scholarships are based on a broad range of qualities including academic achievement, leadership, creative talent, athletics, geographic location, and financial need.

“Making college accessible is fundamental to who we are as a university,” said Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and Admissions Lenell Hahn. “We’re proud to offer opportunities that empower students to pursue their passions and build their futures, knowing that SEMO stands beside them every step of the way.”

This initiative underscores SEMO’s commitment to providing a high-quality, affordable education tailored to meet students where they are both academically and financially. Students and families interested in learning more about scholarship eligibility can visit semo.edu/scholarship or complete a free application at semo.edu/apply.