No Degree? Scholarship Students Must Repay Lottery Awards

The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has awarded tens of millions of dollars to college students, but that investment is virtually lose when students fail to get their degrees.

Mena Representative Nate Bell says he's putting together a bill that would require students repay the award if they don't graduate.

Hall High senior Anfernee Lloyd says he wouldn't mind.

"Actually, I would be for it," Lloyd said. "It would be more of an encouragement for (students) to keep going on, if they knew they had to pay it back."

Floyd has been busy this year. He's a small forward on the schools' two-time defending state champion basketball team, and a confessed numbers geek.

"My favorite subject in high school is AP statistics," Floyd admitted.

Besides his 3.62 cumulative GPA, the senior also plays several instruments can sing the roof off a church. In fact, he often sings the national anthem at the games he plays in.

Floyd also recognizes the value of education.

"As I get older, I realize if I'm going to make it in the world, it's going to be more for my mind than for my athleticism," Floyd said.

Floyd wants to stay in-state for college, maybe play some ball, and work towards a career in physical therapy. Although he's all for student accountability when it comes to lottery scholarship awards, his big concern is a proposal that would cut the amount by nearly a third.

"I was really counting on that for a lot of my going to college," Floyd said. "I'm still going to college, but it's going to make the hardship a little harder."

Bell's bill might not pass legal muster. Requiring repayment would change the grant-based aid into a loan, contrary to the way it's set up in the state constitution.