Nov. 27, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - More than 1,130 students from the class of 2024 are eligible to have all their Grand Rapids Community College expenses covered through the Grand Rapids Promise Zone.
The “last dollar” scholarship program, started in 2020, covers eligible students’ costs of attending GRCC for up to 60 credit hours. All students who live in the Grand Rapids Public Schools service area and graduate from one of the 25 public, public charter, or private high schools within the city limits have free access to the college’s associate degree or job training and certification programs. Students must have attended an eligible Grand Rapids high school from the 10th grade through graduation to have all costs covered; those who started in 11th grade may have 50% of their expenses covered.
But the Promise Zone’s support goes beyond expenses.
“While the Grand Rapids Promise Zone provides students with a tuition-free path to pursue post-secondary education, we also are able to provide direct support to students through our success coordinators,” said Ashlee Mishler, the program’s director. “They walk alongside students to assist them in pursuing whatever goal they have after high school.”
She said 676 students are attending GRCC this semester through the Promise Zone.
Eligible Grand Rapids high school seniors are notified by mail. They then must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA, and apply to GRCC. Undocumented or DACA students do not need to complete the FAFSA.
Students may be eligible for a Promise Zone scholarship even if they took time off after graduating high school or are attending another higher education institution and are looking to earn more affordable credits as a GRCC guest student.
For more information on the program, go to grpromisezone.com, email promisezone@grcc.edu or call (616) 234-4321.
