HANNIBAL, Mo. (BP)–It may be a long time before the gift of a Baptist-related college in Missouri is accepted by any of the septuplets born to Kenneth and Bobbi McCaughey of Carlisle, Iowa, on Nov. 19.
Nevertheless, Hannibal-LaGrange College has extended an offer of full-ride scholarships to any or all of the seven McCaughey septuplets who earn a high school diploma and meet entrance requirements for acceptance to the college.
HGL President Woodrow Burt made the announcement Nov. 20, and officials of the 1,000-student Hannibal, Mo., college sent the announcement to the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines where the babies were born and remain under care.
The Baptist college’s scholarship offer, encompassing tuition, room and board and general fees, has a current value of nearly $300,000.
HGL is one of at least two colleges to offer such educational assistance, according to McCaughey family representatives. The other, St. Ambrose University, a 2,770-student Roman Catholic college in Davenport, Iowa, has offered full tuition.
HGL’s Burt said his interest in the birth of the septuplets was sparked when he learned of the McCaughey family’s Christian beliefs. The parents are members of Carlisle’s Missionary Baptist Church. When the children reach college age, Hannibal-LaGrange College can provide them with an environment that encourages the integration of faith and learning, Burt said.
Founded in 1858, Hannibal-LaGrange is a four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention.
