A state of Indiana program that gives low-income students free college is seeing record enrollment since the state started automatically enrolling students two years ago. The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County has an event Saturday aimed at continuing the momentum.
Gov. Evan Bayh got the Indiana General Assembly to launch the 21st Century Scholars Program in 1990. Students who sign up by 8th grade can receive four years of tuition at a state university or designated trade school if they maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average and stay out of trouble.
But in recent years the Community Foundation, armed with a Lilly Endowment grant, has been working to get more kids enrolled. Two years ago they got a huge boost from a new state law that automatically enrolls low-income students, but they have to take action to stay in it.
The foundation on Saturday will host its annual 21st Century Success Fest at the Main Library downtown South Bend. High school students who are already enrolled will be able to complete required program steps in order to maintain their eligibility. The event will also include opportunities to talk with representatives from local colleges and universities, get help applying for financial aid, and interact with current college students in the program.
Malissa Ayala, the foundation’s senior program officer for education.
"We have other people coming in and talking about how to prepare for college," Ayala said. "How can you support your student? So just so many things going on so that students really kind of get that one-stop shop and also understand that they're really being supported."
Ayala says she wants students and their parents and guardians to know that the program is flexible. Students also can use the money to study some vocational trades at Ivy Tech in South Bend, and they can take a gap year after high school if they want to work right away.
"Maybe as a senior I'm thinking I'm just going to go out and start in the workforce," Ayala said. "But also think about having this as kind of that insurance policy in the back pocket. Like I go out and there and work and I'm like, hmm, look at how much I have to do to generate that dollar. Maybe this isn't the one I want to get into. Or there's a position at my place of employment that I really want to get to but I need a college degree. They have the ability to go back to school then and work on that."
There are now 676 high school seniors enrolled in the county. That figure will nearly triple to nearly 1,800 in two years when the first automatically enrolled class graduates.
The free event runs from 9:30 to noon in the library’s Community Learning Center.
