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Matt Stockdale, 19, plays on the computer at the Pleasant Heights Apartment Complex computer lab. Mr. Stockdale was unaware that the public housing complex had a college scholarship program.

A scholarship fund created to get low-income residents out of public housing and into college hasn’t been touched in nearly five years.

Today, the fund has about $188,000 — enough to pay tuition for 94 residents at the Pleasant Heights Apartment Complex, 2902 S. 36th St. But St. Joseph Housing Authority officials say no one has asked for a scholarship in at least five years.

Only eight people have applied for a scholarship since the fund was set up 14 years ago using excess profits from basic television cable that all residents are required to pay. Unused, the scholarship money has been tapped by housing officials in recent years to pay for playground equipment and upgrade equipment in the complex’s computer lab.

Sharon Hope, housing authority director, said she hasn’t seen much interest in higher education at Pleasant Heights. The average resident is a single white female with school-age children.

“They just get through high school and they think that’s it. I’m done. It’s time to get a job or whatever,” Ms. Hope said.

The scholarship is publicized twice a year in a newsletter that goes out to the 150 units in the complex, Ms. Hope said. Anyone — parent or child — who lives at least a year at Pleasant Heights can receive the one-time, $2,000 college scholarship.

Most of the eight residents who have tapped the fund attended Missouri Western State University. Some went to Vatterott College or Hillyard Technical Center. None left St. Joseph.

Matt Stockdale expects to change that. Mr. Stockdale said he wasn’t aware of the scholarship fund before he was contacted Thursday by the News-Press.

At 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds, the 19-year-old dreams of becoming a professional wrestler or a sports field medic. In July, he will have lived at the complex for a year, and hopes to use the $2,000 scholarship to attend the Harley Race Wrestling Academy in Eldon, Mo.

Receiving Supplemental Security Income and unemployed for most of 2008, Mr. Stockdale’s subsidized rent at Pleasant Heights is $112 per month. Discounted basic cable from Cablevision is automatically added at $18.50 — a portion of which goes into the scholarship fund.

“I didn’t know what my money was going toward. I’m happy to give, if it’s for a scholarship,” said Mr. Stockdale, who over the weekend spread word of the scholarship among residents. “I told three of my friends out here. They’re juniors and seniors in high school ... that’s one of my biggest mistakes in high school, not applying for scholarships.”

Other residents, including a nursing student, contacted by the News-Press also said they would now apply for the scholarship.

Ahmad Safi can be reached

at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.