Journal of Education & Social Policy

Influence of Sustained Scholarship Opportunities on School Culture and Social Acceptance
Dr. Sang Hwang, Dr. Betty Coneway, Jill Goodrich, Lyounghee Kim

Abstract
This mixed-methods study investigated the influence of a scholarship program that intentionally brings children together from different socio-economic and racial backgrounds. The scholarship is provided to students who attended a private preschool and were awarded a scholarship to attend the target school. The study explored the influence that this scholarship had on the stakeholders and the broader school culture. Findings revealed that diversification of the school’s population can help students become more accepting of diverse cultures. Participants shared that the enriched curriculum and smaller student/teacher ratio at the target school were beneficial to the recipients. Data highlighted that even though the scholarship covered the tuition, there were additional expenses that were prohibitive for the scholarship recipients. Conclusions support the belief that a positive school culture enables all studentsto feels a sense of belonging, participate actively in the educational community, and develop meaningful social relationships.

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