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Some graduates of Liberty and Liberty North high schools are heading to college this fall without the financial burden that weighs on many of their peers — thanks to a scholarship covering full tuition, housing, and dining at William Jewell College.
Qorianka Hyde, who plans to double-major in psychology and elementary education, is one of four to receive the award. It is the first year the program has been offered.
"I cannot even describe how I feel with this scholarship," Hyde said.
The scholarship covers tuition, housing and dining for all four years a student attends William Jewell College. For the 2026–27 school year, that includes $22,160 in tuition and $13,332 in housing and dining.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average tuition and fees at four-year colleges during the 2023–24 school year were about $10,000 at public institutions and $42,000 at private nonprofit schools like William Jewell College.
"It's a life-changing scholarship. It means the world to me," Hyde said.
Hyde said the award allows her to focus on her education and even pursue a double major without the financial pressure many of her classmates are facing.
"I have a lot of friends who are paying for their own education, taking out student loans, and worrying about future debt. They've been extremely stressed," Hyde said.
Drew Van Horn, interim president of William Jewell College, said families feel both pride and relief when their students earn the scholarship.
"What they really feel is not only pride, but also a sense of relief. That saves the family an awful lot of money," Van Horn said.
The program is made possible by donors in Liberty who want to invest in the community's future.
"A lot of the donors really want these students to stay locally after they graduate because they have an awful lot to add to the community," Van Horn said.
Van Horn said his own experience receiving a scholarship shaped his commitment to giving back.
"My family could not afford to send me to school. I was given a scholarship to play athletics, and that's how I got my college degree," Van Horn said. "I feel like I have something I have to give back, because when I received that education for free, I realized that was a debt I had to pay back to my community."
He says that, to qualify, students must earn valedictorian status at Liberty or Liberty North High School.
"The first thing I would say to them is tell the students to excel in their studies," Van Horn said.
Hyde said she always had her sights set on becoming valedictorian.
"I'm a perfectionist, so I had always had that goal set for myself. But yeah, I had to work super hard to get there. Lots of tests, lots of nights where I stayed up studying. But just doing it in the end ultimately for me and to better my own education. And then of course having this opportunity made it 10 times better," she said.
Van Horn said the program is intended to grow.
"The word has already begun to go around the school system that if they perform, if they do well, that this could be a great opportunity for them as well," Van Horn said.
He added that while the program is funded year by year, donors want it to become a lasting tradition.
Hyde said she is grateful for the opportunity and the doors it opens.
"It's such a big opportunity, and I'm so thankful for it."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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