Sep 10th, 2014
Jackson State Community College will open up its computer lab from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, for area high school seniors to sign up for Tennessee Promise and fill out their college applications as part of a statewide Scholarship Saturday.
The event is designed to encourage students to enroll in Tennessee Promise, the states new program that provides two years of community college or technical school tuition-free for any student graduating from a Tennessee high school. It includes a mentoring component, as well as a last-dollar scholarship to cover tuition and fees not covered by the Pell grant, the HOPE scholarship or TSAA funds. Students may use the scholarship at any of the states 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology or other eligible institution offering an associates degree program. The Class of 2015 will be the first eligible to take advantage of the program, which is part of the Drive to 55 initiative to increase the number of Tennesseans with some form of post-secondary credential.
During Scholarship Saturday, students may come to the Student Union Building on JSCCs main campus located at 2046 North Parkway and use the colleges computers to sign up online. There will be information sessions for both students and parents to answer questions about the program. Free refreshments will also be on hand for anyone signing up. The colleges usual application fee of $10 will be waived for any student who also completes his or her college application during the event.
Tennessee Promise is such an incredible opportunity for students to pursue their dreams after high school, said Bobby Smith, VP of Student Services. We want to make signing up for the Promise a celebration for the students and also give them an opportunity to get their application to college in at the same time. This puts them well on their way down the path to a degree or certificate.
Tennessee Promise Director Mike Krause said he hoped many Tennessee students would attend the event nearest them. The Nov. 1 deadline to register for Tennessee Promise will be here soon, so we encourage students to sign up early, Krause said. The Scholarship Saturday event is a great opportunity for students to sign up at tnpromise.gov and enjoy getting a look at their possible future campus.