Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter congratulated the 2009 Webster University Little Rock Metropolitan Graduating Class for receiving their advanced degrees, saying “I am proud of what you have done.”

Halter is considered a champion of education. He led the legislative initiative to create the first state lottery, a measure that voters statewide approved by a 2-1 margin. Arkansas is unique in comparison to lotteries in 42 other states and the District of Columbia, Halter said. Arkansas “is the first state in the U.S. to devote 100 percent” of the lottery proceeds to education, Halter said.

Halter calls the Arkansas scholarship lottery one of the “best financial aid programs in the country.” He expects the lottery will provide $5,000 scholarships annually to students attending a 4-year university in Arkansas and $2,500 scholarships each year to students attending 2-year institutions. Arkansans must graduate from high school with a minimum 2.5 grade point average or score at least a 19 on the ACT college entrance exam to qualify for the scholarships. Non-traditional students returning to college also will be eligible to receive the lottery-funded scholarships.

“You know you can’t lose … you win a prize or contribute to education for Arkansans,” said Halter whose speech was often interrupted with applause from the audience.

He asked each graduate to encourage at least one young person to excel in school and graduate with the academic qualifications to obtain a scholarship.

“This can change the face of Arkansas,” Halter said, citing research that shows the relationship between college degrees and higher household incomes.

It is expected that the Arkansas lottery will be operational in November 2009.  On January 1, 2010, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education would begin accepting applications for lottery-funded scholarships for students planning to enroll in fall 2010.

In addition to Halter, Dr. Carol Adams, an Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs in Webster Groves, Mo., also congratulated the graduates and officially conferred the degrees of approximately 90 eligible graduates. Degrees were conferred for Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Health Administration and Master of Science.