<p>Rest in peace Robert Byrd.</p>
<p>Do you think recipients should expect any changes in amount, or did he not really have much say in it?</p>
<p>I got mine yesterday! I’m from Texas. R.I.P. Robert Byrd. I don’t think he really had any say in it though.</p>
<p>@seadog.overseas
I received a letter saying that I got the scholarship.</p>
<p>With the recent death of Byrd the scholarship has a higher chance of being funded now. One final gift to students…</p>
<p>Michigan anyone?</p>
<p>Got my letter today in Maryland. They say they’re sending out more information in August.</p>
<p>After calling the coordinators, Floridians will be notified in late July.</p>
<p>Has anyone from Florida heard back yet? My brother’s still waiting to hear. It currently says “Pending” on his Florida Student Scholarship file.</p>
<p>Oh, that answers my question then… thanks Ivan.</p>
<p>Also, does anyone know if the Byrd can be used to cover the cost of books?</p>
<p>Our D received the scholarship and will be requesting a deferral. Anyone know how to go about getting a deferral approved?</p>
<p>Just talked to the Florida Department of Financial Services. They claim they have yet to receive the requisite funds from the government (What?!??!) and, consequently, may have to delay the award disbursal for a time. The representative also told me, based on past cutoffs, to expect something around a 123-124 (ACT score times UW GPA).</p>
<p>Maximus - My son just accepted his Byrd Scholarship and these two statements were in the document titled “Rules and Regulations”. I don’t think you can defer the Byrd.</p>
<p>“The first year scholar must attend college full-time for the first year following high school graduation or the entire scholarship will be forfeited. “</p>
<p>“No postponements/deferments will be granted in the first year with the one exception being a physician’s documentation of an illness preventing the scholar from attending school.”</p>
<p>That is most unfortunate.</p>
<p>It is … you might want to Google "Byrd Scholarship “‘state you live in’” and see if those rules are state dependent. My son had to sign the Recipient Agreement that was found under the Byrd Scholarship at our state Department of Education. Maybe it’s just our state and not all of them that don’t allow deferment.</p>
<p>Indiana update:</p>
<p>Indiana’s website was “downgraded” to say that recipients would be selected (or notified or something like that) “Mid July”. </p>
<p>But I just called them (7/28) and they said “We HOPE to have it done in a couple/few more weeks”. </p>
<p>They also said they don’t allocate/pay until AFTER the semester is over. At that point, I’ll have paid for the 2nd semester already so I’m pretty confused. But…this isn’t their first time at the Rodeo, so I’m sure it’s all good. Now just keeping fingers crossed.</p>
<p>FUNDING: "The budget request proposes eliminating three federal student aid programs. Nearly $64 million in funding for Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnerships (LEAP) would be eliminated because this program has accomplished its objective of stimulating all States to establish need-based postsecondary student grant programs, and Federal incentives for such aid are no longer required, according to the Obama administration. State grant levels have expanded greatly over the years, the Administration argues, and most States significantly exceed the statutory matching requirements.</p>
<p>The Administration also proposes eliminating $42 million in Byrd Honors Scholarship funding because it believes that the program duplicates other programs that provide assistance to students to increase college access. Funding for the $5 million Legal Assistance Loan Repayment Program would also be eliminated because the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program makes it redundant, according to the Administration.’
[Obama’s</a> 2011 Budget Proposal Increases Pell Funding, Cuts LEAP and Byrd Scholarship](<a href=“http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2010/g2011budget020210.html]Obama’s”>http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2010/g2011budget020210.html).</p>
<p>Does anyone know how this scholarship is administered in Vermont? I haven’t been able to find much online about it. Thanks!</p>
<p>The good news is: the state of Maryland allows deferment for one year. I’ve been assured by the director of the program that our D will get all four years of the scholarship beginning in the fall of 2011.</p>
<p>^Maximus, hopefully you have the assurance in writing. Great news! Congrats!</p>