Living Learning Community
• Kearney Bound has a living-learning environment where our first-year students live on a dedicated floor in Centennial Tower West (CTW). This community offers support, social engagement, and opportunities to explore campus.
Peer Mentor Program
• To help with the transition into college, first-year Kearney Bound students are assigned a peer mentor to provide support and help them get connected with the campus and its resources while developing relationships along the way.
Student Organization
• The purpose of the Kearney Bound Scholars student organization is to create an environment for all Kearney Bound students to continue developing relationships. The organization will strive to provide a foundation to establish academic success, give back to the community, as well as create more successful and well-rounded individuals.
Foundations for Learning Course
• Kearney Bound students enroll in the fall of their first year in Foundations for Learning, which is a semester-long transition class. Course topics include clarifying education and personal goals, developing self-awareness, exploring majors and careers, understanding university resources, studying at a college level, critical thinking, and financial literacy.
Kearney Bound Advising
• Kearney Bound students receive individualized advising with the Kearney Bound Coordinator to plan success in academics and personal achievement. Plans are developed on the needs of the students to make sure they are on the right track for success.
Kearney Bound will provide financial promise to assist with the cost of attendance (which could cover up to tuition, fees, room & board), up to the amount the student qualifies for based on accurate, and early completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Kearney Bound’s funding commitment is for up to eight semesters.
- The “financial promise” coverage includes any FAFSA family contribution and all Federal, State, and private grants and scholarships available to the student.
- The Kearney Bound funding commitment is tuition, fees, standard double room occupancy and meals for participants who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant program.
- The Kearney Bound commitment is 15 credit hours of tuition and fees for participants who are not eligible for the Federal Pell Grant program.
- Pell Grant eligibility is established by the annual completion of the FAFSA.
- Eligibility may vary from one academic year to the other for participants. Notification will occur each year via the financial aid award notice on MyBlue.
- Room and board funding is contingent upon a student living on campus. Off campus room and board is not covered through Kearney Bound.
- This is also subject to change to remain consistent with federal, state, and institutional financial aid policies.
As a participant of the Kearney Bound program, students agree to the following terms and conditions:
- Students must be enrolled full-time in the fall and spring semesters. Enrollment status will be checked at the end of the first week of classes. If you are not enrolled in 12 or more credit hours by 5:00 PM on that date, the Kearney Bound aid will be reversed from your account and you will be contacted by the Associate Director of Financial Aid.
- Students must contact the Kearney Bound Coordinator and/or the Associate Director of Financial Aid prior to the withdrawing from a class during the semester and/or retaking courses.
- In addition to the academic requirement of a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above, Kearney Bound students are required to complete at least 24 credit hours during fall and spring combined in order to maintain eligibility for the program. Failure to meet either one or both requirements for one semester will result in a warning to the student. The student will remain eligible for the Kearney Bound funding for the subsequent semester. If the student again fails to meet one or both of the requirements, they will be suspended from the Kearney Bound program.
- Withdrawal from the University of Nebraska at Kearney during any semester will result in immediate suspension from the Kearney Bound program. Kearney Bound students with Federal Student Aid will be subject to the Federal statute requiring return to the Federal Student Aid programs. This may result in a balance due back to UNK from the Kearney Bound recipient.
- Comply with the University’s Student Code of Conduct. Any violation of the Code of Conduct will result in a review of the student’s continued eligibility in Kearney Bound, including the scholarships provided as part of the funding commitment.
- Kearney Bound students are required to participate in the Kearney Bound Scholars student organization.
