Midway resident says Midway University tuition discount for local residents is a great incentive to learn

Marsden and Vandegrift (Midway University photo)

By Sarah Ladd

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway University and the City of Midway have reached an agreement for the school to offer a 15 percent tuition discount for city residents in evening and online classes, a move that will make higher education much more affordable for local students. 

The discount also extends to residents' dependents who have lived in the city for at least a year, under the agreement signed by University President John P. Marsden and Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift. The agreement also provides that the university waive certain application fees.

Jennifer Day (Photo provided)

Jennifer Day, who earned her undergraduate degree in equine science at Midway and is now pursuing an MBA at the university, said the tuition discount “really encourages everyone to push themselves further. You can keep going with school, there’s always more to learn.”

Day moved to the area from Texas to attend the university and has lived in Midway for two years. She works at Freedman's Harness Saddlery and said she is happy about the collaboration the city and university have. "I think that Midway is just a very family-friendly town," she said. She said the city and university work well to include everyone in the community and mentioned Fall Festival by name. "You see everyone, college students and everyone, just come together as one. And I think it's great that the college and town really work together to just get everyone communicating." 

Day said she picked the university for her MBA partly because it was her alma mater, but also because it was less expensive. "With them offering the discount, it just made it that much better for me," she said, noting that with her work and grad-school studies, her whole life is in Midway. "They're just making it very convenient for the residents of Midway" to take classes, she said.

The university press release included a statement from Marsden which read in part, "We are pleased to offer this discount to our friends and neighbors in Midway. We want to be a partner with the community and help improve the lives of our citizens and give back where we can."

Vandegrift said in the release, "The opportunity to have more Midway residents attain a college degree is an incredible thing. We are blessed to have such a great university right here in our backyard and I look forward to attending commencement each year and seeing more Midwegians walk across the stage to get their diploma. This is a great day for the community of Midway."

For residents interested in the traditional undergraduate programs that are not part of the discount program, there are other financial-aid and scholarship opportunities. Midway residents can contact the university Admissions Office at 846-5788 or email admissions@midway.edu to find out more ,or start an application online at apply.midway.edu. For more information, contact Vice President for Marketing and Communications Ellen Gregory at 846-6046 or egregory@midway.edu.