TU: FSCJ offers promise to deserving students

Florida Times-Union

http://jacksonville.com/news/education/2017-03-02/fscj-offers-promise-deserving-students

Money aimed at full-time students

Florida State College at Jacksonville announced FSCJ Promise, the first program in the state which will pay “last dollar” costs for low-income, full-time students at the community college.

FSCJ officials predict the grant will help up to a 1,000 students a year afford schooling beginning next fall, for a total cost to the community college of $1.5 million to $2 million a year. The students must seek a two-year degree and qualify for a Pell grant, which is federal aid to certain poor families.

“If they’re willing to come here full time and work on an associate’s degree, then we’ll guarantee their tuition, fees and books will be covered,” said Chris Holland, FSCJ’s director of student services. “I think the noble effort is to just be a good partner to the community and help our citizens get access to a higher education.”

About 20 percent, or 2,597, of FSCJ’s 15, 334 students are full time; the rest take courses part time or are seeking industry certifications rather than a degree.

National studies show that full-time students are much more likely to finish — to complete a four-year or two-year degree — than are part-time students.

“We’re trying to propel good, highly-effective academic course-going habits with students,” Holland said.

The Promise money, combined with whatever financial aid and scholarships students would already receive, means students won’t have to take on jobs or extra loans to put themselves through community college, he said.

To qualify, a student must be from Duval or Nassau counties, have graduated from high school in the last three years and entering college for the first time. They also must take a full course load (12 credit hours a term) and qualify for a federal Pell grant.

Promise funding does not include summer terms. To stay in the program a second year, the student must maintain a 2.0 GPA or better.

Recipients also are required to give back 60 hours of community service, Holland said.

The national nonprofit Civic Nation is helping efforts around the country to develop “promise” programs, in an effort to encourage first-generation college students and under-represented minorities to enroll and achieve a degree.

“This was an Obama initiative during his presidency, but he never got the full support of Congress to make this a national initiative,” Holland said.

Nevertheless various colleges and some states are taking it up, each in their own way, he added. Some colleges in California are promising to pay for books while others are guaranteeing funding for the first semester. On the other hand, Milwaukee and Kalamazoo, Michigan, also have promise programs funded at least in part by private donations.

According to a 2015-16 annual report by The College Promise Campaign, more than 36 programs in cities, states and communities spent more than $150 million sending 180,000 students to community college. The hope is to make a two-year degree as common as a high school diploma, its leaders said.

A student currently attending FSCJ typically faces about $4,200 a year in tuition, fees and books, Holland said.

Because Pell grants are awarded based on family income and the amount each family can contribute their child’s college education, that funding varies. If one family’s expected contribution is $2,000, chances are they’ll qualify for a Pell grant, Holland said, but it will be smaller grant than the grant a student gets whose family can only contribute $500.

Regardless, with the Promise, each student’s entire cost - except for board - would be covered.

FSCJ is restructuring some of its existing scholarship money to fund the Promise, he added.

For more information go to fscj.edu.