With the closure of Saint Joseph’s College due to financial difficulties, PNW has established a special transfer merit scholarship for St. Joseph students. St. Joseph requested for PNW to assist its students.

Carmen Panlilio, vice chancellor of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, said that PNW has put aside a generous and undisclosed amount of money for the transfer scholarship for St. Joseph’s students.

“We put together a plan that would not only help transfer those students to us but also help and assist the really exceptional ones with high GPAs,” Panlilio said.

Nathan Elizalde, PNW transfer specialist, said that the St. Joseph transfer scholarship and the regular transfer scholarship is the same when it comes to requirements. The only difference is that the St. Joseph transfer scholarship guarantees that St. Joseph students will receive the scholarship if they meet the criteria for the scholarship.

“The scholarship is a way to extend our hand to the hurting and give incentive to continue,” Elizalde said. “This scholarship shows the kindness and generosity Purdue Northwest strives to represent.”

St. Joseph students with a 3.0 GPA will receive $1,000 renewable scholarship for up to three years and students with a 3.5 GPA and higher will receive a $2,000 scholarship renewable for up to three years. Decisions on scholarship disbursement will not be made through an application but through transcripts that students will send to PNW. St. Joseph students can also receive additional scholarships alongside the transfer scholarship.

Wes Lukoshus, assistant vice chancellor of Media Relations and Communications, said that PNW wants to help St. Joseph students find success and get a Purdue degree, and he hopes that this scholarship will do that.

“It is unfortunate, and we feel for what has happened at St. Joseph’s. Our role then becomes how can we be helpful to the students, and that is the manner in which St. Joe has approached us. We felt a responsibility that will let us help the students and give them the resources that we can provide,” Lukoshus said.

Panlilio said that PNW has developed a special team to assist St. Joseph students. The team has visited St. Joseph’s on multiple occasions, once on Feb. 14 and again on Feb. 18. There, the team spoke with students about PNW and told students what life would be like for them at PNW. Representatives from admissions, financial aid, academic advising, housing, athletics and the honors college went to St. Joseph’s to guide the students.

“The goal was to meet with the students one-on-one,” Panlilio said. “We have a team of people that know and understand the situations. These people can speak with the students and understand them.”

According to Panlilio, Lukoshus and Elizalde, St. Joseph students have visited PNW and have already applied for the 2017-18 school year. Although they are happy for the possible increase of enrollment at PNW, they said their sympathies lie with St. Joseph’s students.

“It is important to be empathetic and sensitive at this time. It’s going to affect us in that we hope we recruit from St. Joe’s students who are excellent, strong and positive,” Panlilio said

Elizalde said that St. Joseph students will add to the PNW culture. He believes that the talents, interests and knowledge of St. Joseph students will align with PNW’s vision. He hopes that this scholarship will help these students and he hopes that if students do decide to come here, that it will be a great place for them to pursue their education.

“To students of St. Joseph’s, we welcome you. We believe in you. We want you to be successful. I know it feels like a whirlwind. Keep hope,” Elizalde said.