By Dvid Karas | Correspondent

Between tuition and fees, a college education in today’s world carries a heavy price tag.

 But thanks to generous support from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., the dream of a higher education has become much more attainable for students from across the Diocese of Trenton.

In the current academic year, there are 212 enrolled students from the Diocese of Trenton, according to university records, and 191 of those students – just over 90 percent – receive some form of scholarship assistance. And the total combined support for those students this past year was more than $2.9 million.

Katie Wall, a senior English major hailing from Spring Lake, is one of the students who has benefitted from CUA’s support. Because of a university merit scholarship she has received, she has been able to go to college and avoid taking on student loans.

From the first moment she stepped on campus, she knew Catholic was the school for her.

“I saw CUA as a place where I could comfortably grow academically, as well as spiritually,” she said. “From just a short visit as a senior in high school, I already felt welcomed as a member of the strong community of CUA students.”

Nearly 80-percent of Catholic’s students in the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs receive some form of financial aid, derived from scholarships, institutional funds and the proceeds of a special collection that garnered support from nearly all 195 dioceses across the United States. The Diocese of Trenton participated, and contributed a total of $131,017 in the 2012-13 collection.

For Wall, the college experience has been better than she could have anticipated.

“CUA has completely exceeded my expectations as a student. Academically, I have truly benefited from the small size of CUA which has allowed me to develop strong relationships with my professors,” she said. “My professors have challenged me academically, which has made me a better student, but they also have been incredibly supportive along every step of the way.”

But in addition to academic enrichment, Wall has also found CUA to be an environment that has supported and contributed to her faith development – namely through service to others.

“One of the biggest highlights of my time at CUA has been my experience with CUA Best Buddies, a student organization that pairs students and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in meaningful one-to-one friendships,” she explained. “With CUA Best Buddies, I have grown in faith with my own Best Buddy, as we have been able to have Mass and dinner together once week, every week in her home Bethlehem House.”

She added, “Best Buddies has taught me to see the dignity, value, and God-given gifts all people have, despite whatever challenges they may face.”