Update: College Junior Receives State Scholarship after Lawsuit

December 6, 2002

Source: The Associated Press

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20021206_1493.html

On December 6, 2002 The Associated Press reported that "a college junior who lost a Kentucky merit scholarship when he decided to major in religion is suing the state, claiming it discriminates against students wanting to obtain degrees in religious studies by denying them funding. According to the lawsuit, Cumberland College junior Michael Nash was awarded $2,900 under the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship program in his freshman and sophomore years. The lottery-funded scholarships, administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, go to high school students in the state as a reward for good grades and college-board scores. In October, when Nash declared philosophy-religion as his major, the private college notified him that the scholarship funding would be cut off starting next semester, the suit said. The lawsuit is seeking to strike down regulations for the program that prevent the state from awarding the scholarships to students seeking degrees in theology, divinity or religious education, the suit said."