For a number of University of Memphis students preparing for a final exam is just as important as completing scholarship hours at the end of the semester.
"It is hard sometimes to fit scholarship work in your schedule, when you know you could be studying," said Lacy Wade, a junior chemistry major.
Yet all students who have an academic scholarship from The University of Memphis are required to complete service hours. The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) mandated that scholarship recipients, who enrolled during and after the 2003-2004 academic year, have 150 hours of service at the end of the spring semester.
While some students may feel like 150 hours is too much, Melissa Traymon, graduate assistant for the scholarship office said it is actually not hard to get done. Students can start doing some type of service during the summer before the academic year begins.
Dr. Barbara Bekis, coordinator of the Educational Support Program (ESP), agreed that the requirement could be completed and offered scholarship recipients some added benefits. Bekis uses scholarship recipients as tutors in ESP.
"The 150 hours translates to an average of two hours a day of tutoring. Other advantages include being on campus, working on subjects that you are studying and networking with other scholars," Bekis said.
The scholarship office no longer gives scholarship recipients assigned locations to complete their hours. However, Traymon said students must get in contact with the scholarship office personnel to finalize how they are going to work on their hours.
Scholarship recipients can choose from eight different options to meet the TBR requirements such as making a contract with a community organization or serving as an officer in a student organization.
Some students like, junior marketing management major Karen Stigger, use several different options to complete their requirements. Stigger works at the circulation desk at the library and does volunteer work with her church to finish her 60 hours for the year.
Stigger suggested that students find time between their classes in order to complete hours.
"Considering they are paying for our schooling, it is not a big deal," she said.
Traymon said those students who were looking for hours to obtain quickly could help out at the library or in ESP.
Delaine Brown, a library assistant, said because of late night and weekend hours, the library is a convenient way for student to earn hours.
The last day to turn in documentation of completed service hours is May 5. Those students, who do not meet the deadline or have uncontrollable circumstances, automatically lose their scholarship. Students would then have to go through an appeals process to get their scholarship reinstated.
