Benedictine University: Benedictine unveils new tuition plan

Dec. 18-Benedictine University last week unveiled the Redhawk Promise - a financial aid program that provides all first-time, first-year freshmen and transfer/degree completion undergraduate students in Mesa "the certainty that a private, Catholic, liberal arts education can be financially affordable." If a student's eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant does not equal the full cost of the student's full-time tuition, Benedictine will cover the difference. The program also will lock tuition for all first-time undergraduate students, keeping the same first semester tuition until they graduate. The Redhawk Promise is available to first-year freshman and transfer/degree completion undergraduate students enrolling for the first time for the 2024-2025 academic year. "In the Rule of St. Benedictine, the hallmark of community is a call for us to serve the common good," said Dr. Joseph Foy, who became president of Benedictine University in July. "In order to follow that call, we created the Promise Program specifically for students seeking a Catholic liberal arts education who, even with some financial assistant, cannot make their financials work." Current undergraduate students who enrolled for the spring 2024 semester are not eligible The Promise Program will be offered at both Benedictine campuses. At Benedictine's Illinois campus it is called the Eagle Promise, and is open to all Illinois residents. Founded as a Catholic university in 1887, Benedictine enrolls nearly 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Its student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1 at its downtown Mesa campus. Information: ben.edu/redhawk-promise .