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Washington and Lee Participates in Yellow Ribbon Program for Veterans

Washington and Lee University is among the colleges and universities participating in the new Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program, a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.

The Yellow Ribbon program allows degree-granting institutions to form a voluntary agreement with the Veterans Administration (VA) to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public, in-state, undergraduate tuition rate. The institution can contribute up to 50 percent of those expenses, and the VA will match the same amount as the institution.

“Washington and Lee is proud to join the Yellow Ribbon program. It is our honor and duty to help those who have served our country,” said Washington and Lee President Kenneth P. Ruscio.

W&L is offering five scholarships for undergraduates and law students for the 2009-2010 school year. These scholarships, when combined with other VA benefits, provide up to full tuition to qualifying applicants.

The VA defines eligibility as individuals who served an aggregate period of active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, of at least 36 months, were honorably discharged from active duty after serving at least 30 continuous days since that date or dependents eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The Yellow Ribbon program was included in the new GI Bill at the insistence of former Sen. John W. Warner, a Washington and Lee alumnus who was honored by his alma mater earlier this year with The Washington Award. Warner attended W&L after having served in the U.S. Navy and wanted to add the Yellow Ribbon provision so that qualified veterans could afford to attend the best schools just as veterans did following World War II.