MURFREESBORO (AP) — Officials at Middle Tennessee State University say the school is now the only four-year institution in the state that gives re-entry scholarships to older, non-traditional students who want to get a degree.

The university just gave nine students across the state $5,000 scholarships for the upcoming academic year, and two additional students received funding to attend school part-time.

The scholarships are a gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation. Located in San Francisco, the foundation provides scholarship funding to schools across the nation, with a special emphasis on older students.

School officials say the university was awarded the grant because it has so many non-traditional students.

The university's Older Wiser Learner's organization awarded 14 students additional scholarship money.

To learn more, log on to http://mtweb.mtsu.edu/owls/owls.htm .