GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Around 80% of Grand Rapids Community College's student population is online this semester and 251 of them are enrolled in the New Promise Zone Scholarship Program.
The incoming class of 2020 were awarded the opportunity to earn a free associates degree or job training in nine industry fields if they were from the city. The requirements to receive the funding were that students had to attend one of 24 high schools based in and around Grand Rapids for at least three years.
GRCC freshman Janet Castro-Leon qualified for the program.
"They sent it to me in the mail saying I could be eligible in the fall," Castro-Leon said. "I was planning to leave but when the pandemic hit it was the best option I could think of."
Most universities including GRCC went virtual because of the pandemic, so for her safety and due to the fact that campus life 'was supposedly banned.' Castro Leon says her family was excited she made the decision.
"Well first it saves you a lot of money. They cover your classes and textbooks, and then the process was just so easy. Evan walked me through it so simply," Castro-Leon said.
The Promise Zone program connects each student with an advisor for a personalized associate degree plan.
It covers 60 credit hours, which cover most of their general associate programs.
All 251 students participating so far are enrolled for class credit, but the program offers job training certificates as well.
The number enrolled is not far from the 267 students the program expected to sign up through their data analysis test according to Evan Macklin, the Promise Zone Director, which he believes is remarkable after the team expected to take a hit due to pandemic.
"So, essentially the Promise Zone scholarship was created to address a couple of things. One, to help support the economic development here in this geographic and one of the other big factors of creating a scholarship for us to adjust address the inequities that exist within higher education students that are accessing college. The promise board has created a scholarship that essentially provides a tuition free path at GRCC," said Macklin. "There was a backlog due with the job training applications because we had to figure out different things for that program due to the pandemic, but we are all caught up now and we are excited for more students to enroll."
The Promise Zone Authority raised $3 million to make this program a possibility for at least the first two years.
Anyone graduating this year can apply up to five years after they've graduated high school.
"We understand that life happens. If you need to take a gap year, that's understandable and you can still apply next year or next semester if you just want a semester off." Macklin said.
"If you are at home and you want to learn some new skills, just do it, its really an amazing program," Castro-Leon said. Castro Leon is a recent graduate from City High School.
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