Community College of Vermont expands free tuition program to more residents
CCV is expanding its free tuition program for Vermonters. More families in the state will be able to take advantage of the program to get an associate degree.
CCV is expanding its free tuition program for Vermonters. More families in the state will be able to take advantage of the program to get an associate degree.
CCV is expanding its free tuition program for Vermonters. More families in the state will be able to take advantage of the program to get an associate degree.
The Community College of Vermont and VSAC are expanding the 802 Opportunity Grant, offering free tuition for up to two years at CCV for Vermonters with an annual family income under $75,000.
“As a result, more than 50% of Vermont families qualify for this benefit,” said Joyce Judy, CCV president.
Over 2,000 Vermonters took advantage of the program last school year, according to officials. One of them is Chantelle Blackburn, who is using her time at CCV as a stepping stone to advance her career.
“I am the Lifeline program coordinator for the 988-suicide line here in the Northeast Kingdom,” Blackburn said. “So, in order to kind of move up, I want to have a bachelor's degree and go on to my master's. I'm using CCV as my way of making that happen.”
Blackburn said furthering her education was never an option because she couldn’t afford it. But now, after she graduates, she'll use her degree in behavioral sciences to help others.
“Coming into the mental health field and being able to help those that need help and meeting them at their time of crisis and just knowing that somebody is there is important to me,” Blackburn said.
The grant was launched two years ago with funding from the Vermont Legislature.
It’s meant to be an investment in training and workforce programs that will address staffing shortages in the Green Mountain State.
“We've seen this program, in part because of the simplicity and the clarity of the message, is really bringing in students who might have been sitting on the sidelines otherwise really struggling, knowing that they need more education and training to achieve their goals but feeling unable to attain them,” said Scott Giles, VSAC president and CEO.
The program is helping more Vermonters get into higher education. The state has one of the highest high school graduation rates in the country but one of the lowest college attendance rates.
However, during the pandemic, higher education enrollment dropped in other places while CCV’s increased.
“CCV, in a period when the nation saw 20% decline, they saw nearly 9% increase,” Giles said. “And what that tells us is that this program is reaching the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Attending CCV can be flexible, as day and evening classes are offered both in-person or online. Spring 2023 classes start next Monday, and officials say it’s not too late to register.
The funding covers tuition for all credits and administrative fees. All eligible new and returning students to CCV can apply.