The Need for Higher Education in Moab Grand County

Moab Utah Our Challenges Our Current Students Our Dreams Our Vision Our Reality

Educational opportunities in Moab, Grand County Utah are much like a des-ert. It is arid environment with sparse opportunities. Education attempts to eke outa survival in a wild and uninhabited land that is desolate or forbidding.The Utah population is unique in that it is considerably different from theEastern States and even many of the Western States. It is one of the most urbanstates in that 80% of the population is located in Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogdenalong the Wasatch Front and also one of the most rural states in that it has only 27.2 persons per square mile as compared to 79.6 average for the United States.Many communities in rural Utah, like Moab, have lost their economic base.Unfortunately, the major export is our children. Many residents in Moab cannotleave and are lost in a desert of no hope or opportunity.

A Community of Challenges

In a land of arches, natural bridges and great canyons, visitors can do cy-cling, hiking, 4-wheeling, white water rafting, motorcycling, climbing, sightseeing,and exploring. However the person who may be preparing food, get the boats readyfor the river, cleaning rooms, or selling souvenirs is more than likely the working poor. The working poor are evident in Moab Grand County Utah. The economyof the area is seasonal tourist based. Each year the community hires between 1,500 – 2,000 seasonal workers. This population is worked for eight months and thensummarily laid off. This cycle repeats itself year after year. Many residents live

well below the poverty level, work minimal wage jobs, and have no health benets.

Some of the characteristics of the working poor include:

Has never been to college May work shift work They may have graduated from high school Tend to float from job to job Lack of hope Come from a single parent family May have difficulty with reading and writing May be suffering from depression Lack of opportunity They leave their children at home to work Probably doesn’t have health insurance Stuck in a dead-end job They are likely to be female They are likely divorced They are likely to be single parents themselves.

Shipler, David (2004) The Working Poor Invisible in America, Alfred A. Knopf Publisher

Scholarship / Tuition Assistancefor Spring 2007 semester

Utah State University Moab (USU-Moab) has minimal scholarshipmonies. The Campus Center does not qualify for scholarship assistance fromour main campus 350 miles away. For 2006-2007, the scholarship budget was$14,000 for two semesters from all sources.The following table shows tuition awards, how our students pay for their college education, gender, average student age, and number of students

who work and attend college, ethicity of current students, and eld of study.

There are more applications than there are funds to cover the need.

Tuition Assistance Awards for Spring 2007

Full Tuition Scholarships Available ($1918) 0Half Time Scholarships Available ($ 809) 0$500 Tuition Assistant Awards (12+ credits) 8 awards$250 Tuition Assistant awards (6-11 credits) 8 awards

How USU Moab Students Pay for School(Students maybe in multiple categories)