Scottsdale Community College Launches Initiative To Bring 100 Former Students Back To College With Free Course
Scottsdale Community College today announced the Complete Your Dreams initiative which will help up to 100 students who did not finish their degree program return to college. SCC will award each participating student a free, three-credit-hour class when they resume their studies at SCC in the Spring 2020 semester (an average savings of $290).
Community colleges across the country regularly experience students withdrawing temporarily from their studies. These students “stop-out” of their degree programs for one or more reasons like lack of financial resources, mental or physical health crisis, family concerns, and employment obligations, among others. Many learners withdraw with the intent to return to college, thus delaying the completion of their degree program. The Complete Your Dreams initiative tackles this challenge head-on by helping to remove financial barriers.
To qualify for the award, the student must have been out of college for two years or less, earned a minimum of 15 credit hours without completing a degree, and have a GPA of 2.0 and above. Students will also be encouraged to register and pay for a second class for the Spring 2020 Semester to continue in their academic journey. Students need to apply to SCC by Dec. 6, 2019 and then complete an in-person interview before the start of Spring 2020 Semester (Jan. 11, 2020).
Funding for the Complete Your Dreams awards stems entirely from personal donations made by the SCC campus community through a September 2019 giving campaign for this purpose, the SCC Advisory Board and other community members, along with a $12,500 grant by the Scottsdale Industrial Development Authority.
“The faculty and staff at Scottsdale Community College know the barriers students face can be overwhelming at times,“ says Chris Haines, SCC’s interim president. “Complete Your Dreams is an innovative, grassroots effort that can positively impact a student’s educational journey. Knowing that our faculty and staff personally donated to this effort reflects their amazing generosity and commitment to our students.”
SCC offers extensive student support services, including advising and assistance with applying for financial aid. For more information, including how to apply and the complete terms and conditions for this award, visit www.scottsdalecc.edu/completeyourdreams.
