The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Cumming Campus will host the third annual Backyard Bash at 6 p.m. April 29 to raise scholarship funds for students attending the Cumming Campus.

Free to attendees, the event will feature a catered barbecue meal, music from UNG students, Nigel and the UNG Jeep, and lots of fun and camaraderie with local community leaders and Cumming Campus constituents.

Citizens Bank of Georgia is the presenting sponsor for the Backyard Bash. Scholarship funds will be raised via a silent auction and other individual donations at the event.

The Cumming Campus General Scholarship was established in 2024 to provide financial assistance to students attending the campus who have specific financial needs that make it harder for them to focus on their academic success.

Last year's event raised over $6,000 for this scholarship fund.

"Our goal is to raise $10,000 for these need-based scholarships this year," Dr. Ken Crowe, executive director of UNG's Cumming Campus, said. "We realize that starting a scholarship fund from scratch is hard work, but our community has been very supportive of this effort."

If a student is responsible for some component of the cost of the UNG education, they are eligible to apply for up to $500 per semester from this scholarship. On the Cumming Campus, 75% of students receive some level of aid, and of those, 38% of students are eligible for the Pell Grant, which can go to students in the lowest-earning households.