(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, each recipient of a Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Award may hold the award for 4 years if the recipient:
(1) Continues to be a resident of this State;
(2) Continues to be a full–time student at an eligible institution and takes at least 12 semester hours of courses each semester, or its equivalent as determined by the Office;
(3) In the judgment of the institution, is making satisfactory progress toward a degree; and
(4) Maintains the standards of the institution.
(b) Each recipient of a Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Award who is enrolled in an associate degree program as permitted in § 18–303(a)(1) of this subtitle may hold the award for 2 years if the same conditions of subsection (a) of this section are met.
(c) Each recipient of a Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Award may hold the award for a 5th year if the recipient continues to satisfy the requirements under subsection (a) of this section and:
(1) Is enrolled in an academic program that, as determined by the institution, requires 5 years to complete; or
(2) Provides evidence, satisfactory to the Office, of extenuating financial, academic, or other circumstances that prevent the recipient from completing the academic program in 4 years.
(d) Each recipient of a Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Award who is enrolled in an associate degree program as permitted in § 18–303(a)(1) of this subtitle may hold the award for a 3rd year if the recipient:
(1) Continues to satisfy the requirements under subsection (a) of this section; and
(2) Provides evidence, satisfactory to the Office, of extenuating financial, academic, or other circumstances that prevent the recipient from completing the academic program in 2 years.