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NBC5 In Depth: Free college degrees promised for some Vermont students

NBC5 IN DEPTH. WE HEAR FROM AN EARLY AGE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH. TUSRN OUT THOUGH, THERE IS A FREE COLLEGE DEGREE. THAT IS THE PROMISE FROM THE MCCLURE FOUNDATION PTAR OF THE VERMONT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. HOW’S’THIS GOING TO WORK? WELL, WE ARE PROMISING A FREE DEGREE THROUGH THE STATE’S EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM AT CCV FORHE T VERMTON HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES OF 2023 THROUGH 2026. THAT’S TODAY’S 11TH GRADERS THROUGH EIGHTH GRADERS. SO STUDENTS IN TSEHO GRADESHO W ENROLL IN EARLY COLLEGET A CCB IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCOLHO CAN COUNTN O A GUARANTEED FREE DEGREE AT CCB IF THEY CHOOSE TO CONTINUET A CCV. OUR PROMISE ALSO ILUDENCS ENHANCED ADVISING AND STIPENDS IN THEIR POCKET EACH SEMESTER TO HELP. LIKE BOOKS AND TRANSPORTIONAT ANY VERMONT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ISLI EGIBLE. YES. HOW MANY MIGHT YOU BE ABLE TO ASSIST? YOU KNOW WHAT? WE ARE NOT SEUR BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE I PROMISE IS A PROMISE SO WE GUARANTEE TO COVER THOSETS COS NO MATTER HOW MANY STUDENTS ENROLL AND IF A LOT OF STUDENTS CHOOSEO T ENROLL WILL CONSIDER THAT A SUCCESS FOR THE ENROLLED STUDESNT WHO HEAV A FAST-TRACKED PATHWAY TO A GUARANTEED FREE DEGREE AND FOR VERMONT WITH SO MANY HIGH PAY HIGH DEMAND JOBS IN VERNTMO GOGIN UNFILLED. WE THINK FASTTRACK PATHWAYS TO TO FREE DEGREES WILL BE GOOD FOR VERMONT CIVICALLY SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY IT IS WITHOUT QUESTION A REMARKABLE GIFT THE MCCLUREOU FNDATION COULD NOT GUESS WHAT? IT MIGHT COST ONLY THAT THOUSANDS OF HIGH SCHLOO STUDENTSRE A NOW ELIGIBLE. WE MET SEOM TAKING FREE CCV COURSES WHO ARE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. JULIE LIG AHT HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR FROMLA PINFIELD SIGNED UPOR F VERMONT’S EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM OFFERING A YEAR OF CCV COURSES WHEIL SHE WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL NOW UNDERHE T CLEAR PROME.IS SHE’LL GET A FREE SECOND YEAR. IT SMSEE LEIK A GDOO OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS AND ADULTS WHO MIGHT WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL AND JUST HAVEN’T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OF MONEY JULIE’S PREPARING FOR A CAREER IN THE HOT FIELD OF CYBERSECURITY. RAIN TOWNS A SENIOR AT MONTPELIER HIGH SCHOOL ALSO PLSAN TO TAKE HER ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE ANDLYPP A ALL OF THOSE CREDSIT TOWARD A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL. ATWH DOES THAT MEAN TO SOMEBODY LIKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? IT MEANS A BIG HELP LIKE FINANCIALLY BECAUSE THAT’S TWO YESAR OF LIKE PAID COLLEGE THAT I CAN BRING WITH ME WHEREVER I WANT TO GO. ALWAYS WANTED A COLLEGE EDUCATION LIKE IT REALLY AS MY DAD SAIDT I REALLY PUTS US FARTHER IN LIFE. LIKE GESIV US A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY. SO YEAH AND TICKET EXACTLY. THIS IS MY TICKET. WE KNOW THAT VERMONT’S HIGH SCOL GHORADUATION RATE IS AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE NORTHEAST ONLY0% 6 OF THOSE GRADS. HOWEVER, FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION COSTS OFTEN A FACTOR. THIS NEW OPTION COULD PROPEL HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL STUDENTS INTO THECV C SYSTEM TSHI FALL AND CCV’S PRESIDENT IS ROLLING OUT THE WELCOME MAT. PRESIDENT JUDY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SOUC MH FOR LETNGTI US TALK ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL ANNOUNCEMENT. IS THIS A GAME CHANGER FOR A LOT OF VERMONT FAMILIES IN YOUR JUDGNTME? I FEEL LIKE THIS IA S SIGNIFIC. GAME CHANGER, IT’S A GAME CHANRGE FOR FAMILIES. IT’S ALSO A CHANGE A HUGE BENEFIT AND A HUGE GAME CHANGER FOR VERMONT BUSINESSES. SO LET’S ARSTT WITH THE FAMILIES. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT COST IS A HUGE BARERRI TO CONTINUING YOUR EDUCATION SO MANY FILAMIES TAKE THEMSELVES OUT OF THE EVENHE T IDEA OF GOING TO COLLEGE BECAUSE TH’E’VE HEARD ON THE STREETS THAT YOU KNOW, IT’S EXPENSIVE AND THAT MY CLDHI IS GOING TO GO INTO DEBT, RIGHT? AND SO THIS PROGRAM IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY. IS WHAT THE MCCLURE FOUNDATION IS SAYING IS YOU DO EARLY COLLEGE YOUR SENIOR YEAR. WE WILL PAY FOR YOUR SECOND YEAR SOOU Y CAN COMPLETE A CERTIFICATE YOU CAN COMPLETE AN ASSOCIEAT DEGREE ANDND A LEAVE CCV OWING NOTHING. WHAT’S ALSO SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THIS IS WE HEAV ARTICULATION AGIS IS WE HEAV ARTICULATION REEMENTS AND GUIDED PATHWAYS WITH? EVERY SCHOOL IN VERMONTND A BEYOND WHERE STUNTDES CAN ESSENTIALLY TAKE THEIR FIRST TWO YEARS LEIKSE U THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT. THEY CANO D THEIR FIRST TWO YEARS HERE. WE HAVE MYAN GUARANTEED ADMISSIONS PROGRAMS WITH MANY OF THE DIFFERENT COLLEGES. AT UVM STUDENTS CAN STARTRE THE AS A JUNIOR AND HAVEN’T PAID. HAVE HAVE NOT HAD TO PAYOR F THEIR FIRST TWO YEARS AFFECTIVELY. ISTH MAKES A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE HALF THE PRICE. THAT’S EXALYCT RIGHT AND THAT FINANCIAL BARRIER IS A BIG ONE TO A LOT OF VERMONT FAMILY. WE ARE SEEING THIS, YOU KNOW PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS HAVE ASKED ME IS COST THE BARRIER BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IN VERMONT VERMONT ISN’T AS WE ALL KNOW VERMONT’S PRETTY UNIQUE AND WE ALWAYS THINK WE’R’ SPECIAL AND WE ARE BUT WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT VERMONT’S SITUATION IS VERMONT HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES IN THE COUNTRY. BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE WE HEAV ONE OF THE LOWEST. COLLEGE GOING OR CONTINUING EITHR EDUCATION BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL OF ANY STATE IN THE COUNTRY. AND WNHE I SAY CONTINUING THEIR EDUCATION WE’R’ TALKING ABOUT. COEGELL APPRENTICESHIPS MILITARY ANYTHING AROUND EDUCATION BECAUSE DO I THINK COLLEGE EVERYONE HAS TO GO TO COLLEGE? NO, BUT I THINK EVERYONE HAS TO COMMIT TO CONTINUING THEIR LEARNING BEHD HINIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE JSOB THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED AND CREATED. HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION ISN’T WHAT A STUDENT NEEDS TO REAYLL GET THOSE JOBS. SO I DO THINK THAT COST HAS BEEN A BARRIER BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THIS IS A SILVER LINING IN COVID THAT WE’VE RECEIVED SOME FUNDING IN SOME DIFFENTRE WAYS THAT HAS ADDRESSED COST OR ENCODE DURING COVID AND AS A RESULT WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS NUMB OERF VERMONTERS WEER GOING TO SCHOOL SO YOU TWO EXALEMPS. IN 2020 WNHE COVID HIT IN MARCH IN EARLY, MAY THE MCCLURE FOUNDATION CAME TO US AND SAID WE’RE GOING TO GIVE THIS GIFT TO ALL GRADUATING SENIORS. SO IF A STUDENT GRADUATEDRO FM HIGH SCHOOL IN 2020, THEY SAID IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCARE EDUCATION, WE WILL GEIV YOU A FREET GIF ONE COURSE AT CCV. SO WE SAW NORMALLY WE SEE ABOUT 300 STUDENTS CONTINUING THEIR EDUCATION AT CCB RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. AND FALL OF 2002 WE SAW 600 NOW YOU CAN JUST YOU KNOW, WE CAN USE A DISCLAIMER. YOU KNOW, WE WERE IN COVID PEOPLE MADE CHANGE OF PLANS, BUT IT DIDN’T ACCOUNTOR F A DOUBLE AND WE ASKED SO MANY OF THOSE STUDENTS. WHY DID THEY TAKE A COURSE BECAUSE COST WASN’T A FACR.TO SO THATAS W ONE THE SECDON ONE CAME THROUGH THE GENEROSITY AND VISION OF THE LEGISLATURE IN THE GOVERNOR’’ OFFICE WITH COVID MONEY. EYTH CAME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT .TO TO SUPPORT PEOEPL WHO ARE IMPACTED BY COVIDND A SO THEY SAID STUDENTS VERMONTERS COULD TAKE A COURSE AT CCD ORHE T VERMONT STATE COLLEGES AND AND THEN THERE WAS A PROGRAM THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT. AND WE SAW A HUGE UPCKTI IN THE NUMBER OF VERMONTERS WHO WERE CONTINUING WITH EDUCATION PARTICULARLY. PEOPLE WHO WERE 30 AND ABOVE SO AND WE DID A SURVEY OF ALL THOSE STENUDTS WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ATTH PROGRAM AND BY FAR THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY THEY HA’TDN CONTINUED THEIR EDUCATION PRIOR WAS FUNDING. SO THOSE TWO THINGS NOW, IT’S NOT THE BE ALL END. ALL AND IS COST ONLY ISSUE. NO, BUT WE HAVE FOUND THAT. WE HAVE TRULY ADDRESSED. COST AND FINANCES AS A BARRIER. WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE VERMONTERS WHO INVESINT THEMSELVES AND YOU KNOW ARE GETTING THIS SKILLS AND CREDENTIALS THAT THEY NEED FOR THE JOBS THA ATRE BEING CREATED IN VERMONT. HOW MUCH DOES THE MCCLURE-FREE DEGREE PROMISE SAVE A FAMILY? YEAR WELL IF YOU GO TO CCVOR F A YEAR FULL-TIME, IT’S AROUND 8,400. SO BUT IT’’ TUITION AND FEE. SO THAT’S JUST TUITION. SOUST J LIKEAK TE THE 8400 IT SAVES ESSENTIALLY A FAMILY AROUND $10,000 IN AND THAT’S REAL CASH THAT’S RLEA MONEY. AND SO THEY CAN TAKE THAT AND THEY WILL HAVE SAVED THAT SAME AMOUNT OF NEMOY WITH EARLY COLLEGE. AND THOSE TWO THINGS COMBINED THEYAV HE SAVED $20,000 ON THE FRONT END OF A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IF THAT’SHAT W THEY THAT’S WHAT THEY WTAN TO DO ANDOU Y OFFER A LOTF O DIVERSITY IN YOUR COURSES HUGE NUMRBE OF PGRROAMS THIS SEMESTER THIS SPRING SEMESTER. WE’RE JUST FINISHING THIS WEEK. WE ARE RUNNING ALMOST 800 CLASSES. SO AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEE AN HUGE UPTKIC IN DURING COVID IS OUR CREDENTIALS SO WE WORK REALLY CLELOSY WITH BUSINESSES. TO DEVELOP INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS AND NATIONAL CERTIFICIOATNS. SO FOR EXAMPLE BOOKKEEPING FUNERAL DIRECTOR CREDENTLIA THEES ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE INDUSTRY SECTORS COMING TO US AND SAY LKOO WE HAVE THIS HUGE GAP. WE DON’T NEED CPAS, BUT WE NEED BOOKKEEPERS. AND SO THEN WE HELP STUDENTS GO THROHUG THE BOOKKEEPING CREDENTIAL THEY CANIT S FOR THE NATIONAL EXAM AND THEY GET A BOOKKEEPING. NATIONAL CERTIFICATION, BUT THEN WHAT WE ALSO DO ISES NT. THEOS CREDENTIALS IN OUR ASSOCIATE DREEGE, SO YOU’RE NOT WASTING THEIR TIME. SOF I YOU TOOK THE BOOKKEEPING CERTIFICATE A TNDHEN YOU WENT TO WORK AND THEN YOU DECIDEH, O I’D LIKE TO GET A DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING. YOU CAN COME BACK AND APPLY PTHOSE ARE ESSENTIALLY THE FIRST BE 24 CREDITS OF AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING. WE MET A YOUNG LYAD WHO IS INVOEDLV IN AT CCV AND CYBERSECURITY. YEAH. AHYE PRETTY HOT FEEL. YEAH, HUGE HUGE AND SO SNDOU AWFULLY JAZZED BY THIS. YEAH. OH I AM I YOU KNOW THIS IS A PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION. THAT IS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME PARTNER WITH CC. THEY HAVE SUPPORTED US IN TO TRY OUT MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE BEEN WITHS U THROUGH THEY HAVE SUPPOEDRT OUR PROGRAMS AND VETERANS. THEY’VE SUPPORTED OUR WORK AS WE DO MORE AND MORE WITH YOUNGER STUDENTS TO TRY AND HELP THEM. SEE THAT COLLEGE COULD BE IN THEIR FUTURE. ALSO HAVE SUPPOEDRT PILOT PROGRAMS WITH OUR WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED. BUT THIS IS THIS IS A BIG ONE BECAEUS THEY HAVE SAID TO VERMONTERS WE BELIEVE IN YOU WE WANT TO GIVE YOU HOPE WE WILL INVEST IN YOU COME ALONG DAN IT’S IT’SMAZI ANG SO MESSAGE TO PARENTS. MESSAGE TO PARENTS NEED TOE B THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITYOR F THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IF YOU HAVE A CHILDN I EIGHTH GRADE NINTH GRADE 10TH GRADE 1H 1TGRADE. AND YOU ARE HINOPG YOUR CHILD GOESO T COLLEGE, BUT YOU HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD IT. HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. THAT YOU SHOULDN’T PASS UP. YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FREE DEGREE PROMISE TO YROU HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE OFFICE OR FROM CCV. ST

NBC5 In Depth: Free college degrees promised for some Vermont students

Many of us often hear from an early age, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.”Well, as it turns out, there is a free college degree. That’s part of a new promise from the McClure Foundation, part of the Vermont Community Foundation. Proponents hope the efforts with the Community College of Vermont will propel hundreds of additional students into its classrooms. It’s a remarkable gift for students in the state graduating between 2023 and 2026, a group that includes thousands of people currently in middle and high school. Education leaders told NBC5 News that while Vermont’s high school graduation rate is among the highest in the northeast, only 60% of those graduates further their education — often citing cost as a factor. Carolyn Weir, executive director of the McClure Foundation, and Joyce Judy, president of CCV, both joined NBC5 In Depth to discuss the new program. Open the video player above to view the full interview.

Many of us often hear from an early age, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.”

Well, as it turns out, there is a free college degree. That’s part of a new promise from the McClure Foundation, part of the Vermont Community Foundation.

Proponents hope the efforts with the Community College of Vermont will propel hundreds of additional students into its classrooms. It’s a remarkable gift for students in the state graduating between 2023 and 2026, a group that includes thousands of people currently in middle and high school.

Education leaders told NBC5 News that while Vermont’s high school graduation rate is among the highest in the northeast, only 60% of those graduates further their education — often citing cost as a factor.

Carolyn Weir, executive director of the McClure Foundation, and Joyce Judy, president of CCV, both joined NBC5 In Depth to discuss the new program. Open the video player above to view the full interview.