(a) It is the intent and purpose of the General Assembly through this subchapter to enable and encourage academically talented Delawareans to pursue careers in specific fields identified as areas of need within the State.

(b) A committee of 5 to 8 members chosen by the Office for their knowledge of and expertise in employment trends in Delaware will review employment trends in Delaware and identify no more than 8 to 10 high need career fields from which scholarship applicants will be chosen. The career fields will be reviewed every 5 years by the committee. Additionally, the committee will define retention strategies to encourage recipients to pursue careers in Delaware. Contingent upon funding from the General Assembly and based on the size of the applicant pool, at least 1 student in each high need career field will be awarded a career-based scholarship annually.

(c) To be eligible for a career-based scholarship an applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

(1) The applicant must be enrolled in an undergraduate program of study leading to a career in a high need field as determined by the committee under subsection (a) of this section.

(2) The applicant must be a resident of this State.

(3) The applicant must be enrolled at a college or university that is located in Delaware and is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.

(d) The amount of an award is determined by the Office.

(e) Awards are renewable for up to 3 additional years if the student remains enrolled in a program of study leading to a career in a high need field as determined under subsection (a) of this section and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

(f) If the committee determines that a particular high need field is no longer high need, students enrolled in a program of study leading to a career in that field will be eligible to renew their scholarship up to 3 additional years.

65 Del. Laws, c. 437, § ?1; 73 Del. Laws, c. 188, § ?1; 83 Del. Laws, c. 413, § 1;