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REXBURG
– In an effort to encourage university students to graduate with
bachelor’s degrees in a timely manner, Brigham Young University-Idaho
President David A. Bednar announced a new
incentive program during summer graduation ceremonies Friday morning.
He
recognized the first four students to be designated as “Eight
Semester Graduates.” The graduates completed requirements for their
bachelor’s degrees, which require 120 credit hours of course work,
within eight semesters.
“With this announcement we
begin a university-wide effort to encourage students to complete their
BYU-Idaho experience in a timely manner – thus enabling the school to
serve more students,” President Bednar
said.
He
announced these students would each receive a $500 cash award.
University
Registrar Kevin Miyasaki says the innovative idea
was the result of a university committee that studied ways to improve
throughput of students, thereby saving them time and money, and also
freeing up space for others to attend.
“Our
committee focused on the student,” he says. “If we can teach
our students to plan and organize from the very first day they come here,
it will have an impact on them not only economically, but as future
citizens and employees.”
Miyasaki says the program started with this summer’s
graduates and students will not need to apply for the distinction. These
graduates will be identified by the Registrar’s Office and they will
be recognized on the printed commencement program as “Eight Semester
Graduates.”
He
says students might even put the distinction on their resume since the honor
likely would draw some attention from prospective employers. “Employers
would see these people are capable of time and resource management,”
he says.
Miyasaki says he has never heard of another college or
university offering such an incentive.
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