Published: June 24, 2009 10:06 pm      

EMCC tuition guarantee program goes district-wide

special to the star



SCOOBA – It started in Clay County in October when elected officials, financial supporters, busloads of high school students and, literally, a marching band gathered at The Civic in West Point for a press conference announcing the beginning of East Mississippi Community College’s tuition guarantee program. EMCC tuition guarantee made headlines again in January, when the program grew to include Lowndes County students.

And then it happened.

In his remarks from the podium at the college’s Industry Appreciation Luncheon in April, EMCC President Dr. Rick Young made a surprise announcement that the tuition guarantee program would be extended to include the entire EMCC district – Lauderdale, Kemper, Noxubee, Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties.

EMCC staffers turned to each other and asked, “Did he just say what I think he said?” The answer was yes, and the word is spreading.

“We’re living through some very difficult economic times. People are cutting back on household expenses, and businesses are cutting back on staffing. But this is no time for EMCC to do less for the people we serve, because it’s during bad times that they need us the most,” Young said.

“East Mississippi Community College’s tuition guarantee program has been well-received by the public, especially by parents who want to get the most for their education dollar, people who have been in doubt about whether they could afford to send their son or daughter to college.”

Here’s how the tuition guarantee program works.

The first group of students eligible for the program, which begins in the fall, are May 2009 graduates of accredited public or private high schools, or home schools, in the EMCC district. The program allows these students to attend EMCC tuition-free for up to four semesters. Students must apply for all available financial aid; EMCC’s tuition guarantee program then steps in to make up any shortfall. To remain in the program, students must carry a full-time class load (12 credit hours per semester) and maintain a minimum “C” grade point average.

EMCC is offering a series of free financial aid workshops for students interested in applying under the tuition guarantee program. At the Scooba campus, these workshops will be held at Tubb-May Memorial Library on June 30, July 9 and July 16. There are two sessions on each of these days, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. and 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Space is limited, so students need to call ahead to reserve a place, (662) 476-5082.

“If you plan to attend one of these sessions, and it’s a great idea because financial aid applications aren’t easy to get through, it’s important to call before you come so we can tell you exactly what documentation you need to bring,” said Debby Gard, EMCC’s vice president for finance.

“EMCC financial aid personnel will be there to help you through the process and, if you’ve got the right paperwork with you, you can leave the workshop all set for the fall.”

Dr. Young said the tuition guarantee program is an investment in human potential.

“At EMCC, we’re all about knocking down the barriers that stand between people and opportunity. The tuition guarantee program is removing some of the barriers that have prevented people from pursuing higher education,” Young said.

“And if you talk to students at EMCC graduation ceremonies, you find that many of them plan to continue their education at four-year universities. The tuition guarantee program makes all of that more possible by empowering and supporting a student’s first educational step past the high school level.

“But whether students enter the workplace after graduation from EMCC, or go on to pursue bachelor’s degrees, their futures are more secure; they have more options. And Mississippi and its employers benefit from access to a stronger workforce.”

For more information about East Mississippi Community College’s tuition guarantee program, and the college’s upcoming financial aid workshops, visit www.eastms.edu.