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SOAR Ambassador

Scholarships

The SOAR Ambassador Program is a need-based scholarship program offered by the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid. Scholarship recipients – "SOAR Ambassadors" – are carefully selected as incoming freshmen based upon a review of the scholarship application, high school academic achievement, standardized test score performance, and the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Program Overview

The scholarship award is the equivalent of UNCW in-state tuition and fees. Supplemental awards toward books, meals and housing are supplied for sophomore, junior and senior years resulting in a four-year value of over $34,500.

Due to its four-year design, the program is intended for traditional high school graduates pursuing undergraduate coursework for their first undergraduate degree and not participants/graduates of early college programs, graduate coursework, or those with significant transfer hours. Full-time enrollment is required for eight continuous semesters.

The SOAR Ambassador Program Requirements are based on High-Impact Educational Practices. Research shows that high-impact practices promote active learning, increase student engagement in campus activities, and contribute to the personal and professional development of a student.

The Award

SOAR Ambassadors receive the equivalent of in-state tuition and fees during each academic year of eligibility. The scholarship is available for a maximum of eight consecutive semesters or the attainment of 120 credit hours, (124 credit hours for cohorts that began prior to 2019), whichever occurs first.

Estimated Award Schedule for 2024-2025 Academic Year

Estimated Award Schedule for 2024-25 Academic Year
Award Schedule
24-25 Academic		 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
Tuition & Fees $7,380 $7,380 $7,380 $7,380
Books N/A $1,000 $1,000 $1,000
Meals N/A N/A $1,000 $1,000
Housing N/A N/A N/A $1,000
Total $7,380 $8,380 $9,380 $10,380

All SOAR scholarship funds are split evenly across the fall and spring semesters, and will be applied to the student account along with all other financial aid. These funds will be used to pay university charges; excess funds will be refunded to the student in accordance with university policies.

Program Requirements

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4

First Year Learning Community: The key goals for learning communities are to encourage integration of learning across courses and to involve students with "big questions" that matter beyond the classroom

  • LED-211- This course provides an introduction to leadership. Course goals include the development of an understanding of the leadership theories and styles of leadership, the development of strategies for successful leadership and skills to enhance leadership effectiveness in a variety of settings, and the development of personal insights about themselves and others.
  • UNI-101 First Year Seminar (FYS) - The curriculum of First-Year Seminar involves topics that will help students make a successful academic, social, and personal transition to UNCW. The information and skills students gain will help them beyond their first-year into their major and career. FYS students participate in class discussions, engaging assignments, group work, out-of-class activities, guest presentations, and exciting projects. Service and Community Based Learning is “experiential learning” with community partners and is an instructional strategy—and should be able to be covered and experienced UNI 101. The purpose is to give students the opportunity to learn in the classroom setting and then to both apply what they are learning in real-world settings and reflect in a classroom setting on their service experiences. Ultimately, it models the idea that giving something back to the community is good preparation for citizenship, work, and life.
  • Students will be required to participate in the official SOAR Organization.
  • There will also be required monthly meetings with the SOAR program coordinator.
  • Diversity Course: Students will be required to take at least one diversity course. The goal is to take a course that will help the student explore cultures, life experiences, and worldviews different from their own. The student should work with their academic advisor on selecting a course that counts toward their degree.
  • Service/Community Based Learning will be required again for the year two. This can be satisfied independently in groups, discussed/planned in the SOAR Organization, and ideas will be covered in the monthly meeting with the SOAR program coordinator.
  • Internship & LinkedIn: The Career Center can assist with another type of experiential learning opportunity- an internship. Once secured, students are expected to complete the CIP modules which helps students get the best out of their internship. Where some students will wait to do this in their junior year, some wish to begin earlier. The Career Center also has resources to assist you with creating and maintaining a LinkedIn profile.
  • Students will be required to participate in the official SOAR Organization.
  • There will also be required monthly meetings with the SOAR program coordinator.
  • See year two "Internship & LinkedIn" requirements if not already met. An approved Federal Work Study job can be substituted for an internship.
  • Education Abroad or Global Education Experience: Global learning may address U.S. diversity, world cultures, or both—while exploring "difficult differences" such as racial, ethnic, and gender inequality, or continuing struggles around the globe for human rights, freedom, and power. Students can work with the Office of International Programs to consider studying abroad, completing an internship abroad, or even considering a remote global education experience.
  • Students will be required to participate in the official SOAR Organization.
  • There will also be required semesterly meetings with the SOAR program coordinator, or as scheduled.
  • See year three "Education Abroad..." requirements if not already met.
  • Capstones & Research: Culminating experiences require students to create a project of some sort that integrates and applies what they have learned. This project may be a research paper, performance, exhibit, etc. Students can work with advisors and/or faculty members to select an appropriate course for credit. Students may also work with any University Department (e.g. CSURF) that supports undergraduate research in order to satisfy this requirement
  • Students will be required to participate in the official SOAR Organization.
  • There will also be required semesterly meetings with the SOAR program coordinator, or as scheduled.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may encourage a high school student to complete the application process. Only entering freshmen may be admitted into the SOAR Ambassador program.

The SOAR scholarship does not pay for summer classes. Students should complete the summer aid application for consideration of summer aid.

Credits earned prior to entering the SOAR Ambassador program do not count towards the annual 30-credit-hour requirement, but do contribute towards the maximum credit hour limit. If you reach the 120/124 credit hour limit during a fall semester, you may remain in the program for the following spring semester, as long as you do not exceed the 8-semester maximum.

The SOAR Ambassador Program scholarship is intended for traditional freshmen students without any prior college attendance. The scholarship is limited to eight semesters. If degree attainment is not obtained or if a second degree is also pursued to extend the academic tenure of a student, by completing the FAFSA, you receive funding, based on your eligibility, from alternate funding sources.

You should also complete the university scholarship application. If I am an out-of-state student, can my SOAR Ambassador scholarship be increased to cover the additional costs? The scholarship is awarded in the amount of in-state tuition, regardless of a student’s state of residency.

If your combined adjusted gross income on your FAFSA increases significantly and you no longer meet the federal poverty guidelines criteria, you will be ineligible to remain in the SOAR Ambassador program and will be considered for other aid you are eligible to receive. Review the reinstatement request
process for additional information.

You may receive other scholarships or fellowship awards from UNCW as long as the terms of the award do not reference tuition and fees, and up to the estimated amount of books. There is no limit on non-UNCW scholarships as long as they do not exceed the cost of attendance. Some institutional funds may not be combined with the SOAR Ambassador need-based scholarship.

No. It is an accepted practice for departmental review, resumé inclusion and other considerations that GPAs may be rounded by numerical standard.

If you need fewer than 30 credit hours to graduate in your last year, you may submit a degree audit in support of waiving the requirement.

Students remain eligible for the program by remaining a full-time student for eight continuous semesters. If you do not meet this eligibility requirement, you will be dismissed from the program. However, appeals will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Ideally, you should discuss plans to withdraw from the university with the SOAR Ambassador Program Coordinator. Understandably, there are some circumstances in which a withdrawal may be in your best interest. If it's not possible to discuss this with the Program Coordinator in advance, you may submit the reinstatement request form for reconsideration of program membership.

This program observes the university's leave of absence policy (absent for more than one semester), which is regulated by the Office of the Registrar.

Note: You must be in good standing (making progress towards completion) for all other grade-level applicable requirements for consideration for reinstatement after a withdrawal or leave of absence.

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Contact Us

UNCW Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid

Phone: (910) 962-3177
Fax: (910) 962-3851

finaid@uncw.edu

Warwick Center
601 S. College Road
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403-5951

Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Summer hours:
Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday, 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

UNCW's Title IV Institutional Code:
(School Code) 0002984

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