A new scholarship initiative created to support Fort Valley State University students who are having their academic journey threatened by financial hardship is being launched in honor of Dr. Paul Jones' inauguration later this week.
 
Jones spearheaded the FVSU President's Need-Based Gap Fund in response to the ongoing threat of losing students who are in good standing, but face the possibility of ending of their college careers due to shortfalls of only a few hundred dollars.
 
"In these critical times when higher education is so vital, we cannot afford to lose deserving students at FVSU due to financial deficits, in some cases as small as a few hundred dollars," Jones said. "It is so important, in fact, that I've asked our investiture planners to keep our inauguration-related costs at a minimum in order to save funds to support our students. Our priority should always be to provide our students a high-quality education."
 
Jones will be installed as the university's 10th president during an investiture ceremony on Friday, October 7 at 11 a.m. in the C.W. Pettigrew Center.
 
To kick off the gap funding scholarship initiative, President Jones and FVSU's First Lady Sylvia Jones are donating $25,000 towards an overall goal of raising a minimum of $100,000 by the academic year. FVSU Foundation Board Chairman Calvin Smyre has pledged to match their efforts.
 
The trio is challenging others to join them and support FVSU students in continuing their studies uninterrupted by financial hardships.
 
Smyre called the scholarship fund a "vital investment not only in the students' future, but also in the future of the region, state and nation as well."
 
"I'm appealing to all our Wildcat family and supporters to join us in this endeavor of closing the financial gaps for these deserving students," Smyre said. "No student should give up on their pursuit of an education because they lack a few hundred dollars."
 
To support the President's Need-based Gap Fund, checks should be made payable to the FVSU Foundation. On the memo line write: President's Need-Based Gap Fund.
 
Mail your donations to 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA, 31030. You may also give online by visiting www.fvsu.edu.