The Wisconsin Alumni Association awarded University of Wisconsin students nearly $569,000 in scholarships for the 2007-08 academic year, the WAA is expected to announce today.

The individual scholarships, ranging from $500 to full-ride scholarships, were awarded to 352 students from 77 cities in Wisconsin and 26 different states.

“This scholarship program has been around for about 25 years from the WAA, in partnership with the [UW] Foundation, and it started out as a great way for us to help students from local communities where we have a significant number of alumni,” WAA President and CEO Paula Bonner said. “Many middle-income students and families certainly need this additional help that comes from our scholarship.”

Though alumni association chapters may choose criteria for deciding upon scholarship recipients, Bonner said most awards are need-based and part of a larger financial aid package.

“For some students, the chapter scholarship is one aspect of a whole financial aid package, as they may qualify for other types of university-sponsored financial aid,” Bonner said. “It can be one piece of several, but for some students it’s the [only] piece.”

WAA spokesperson Kate Dixon said the scholarships came from the more than 100 alumni chapters throughout the country. Each chapter has the autonomy to choose award winners, and generally award grants to students from the areas where chapters are located.

Bonner said the program has been designed for students who have already been accepted at UW, and those interested must apply to a local WAA chapter.

“It’s not necessarily the exact same program at every single local chapter. It depends on the number of students in the area and the financial resources available,” Bonner added.

WAA has awarded UW students nearly $10 million in awards since 1967. The association is also responsible for the Robert and Carroll Heideman award — a scholarship for commitment to community involvement and civic engagement — and the Arlis Mucks Jr. scholarship, awarded to five sophomores and juniors who demonstrate spirit.

WAA was founded in 1861 and sponsors several services for Wisconsin alumni, such as On Wisconsin and Badger Insider magazines. The association will hold a reception Oct. 25 at the Pyle Center for award recipients and WAA donors.