Alamance Community College issued the following announcement on July 21.
Alamance Community College held a press conference on July 14 to announce Alamance Promise, the school’s new scholarship initiative that ensures all students with financial need can afford a two-year education.
Under Alamance Promise, the ACC Foundation will provide donated funds to bridge the gap as a “last-dollar” scholarship to pay fully for tuition and fees not covered by federal Pell grants and other state funding administered by the school’s Financial Aid Office.
Special guests offered remarks during the press briefing. Among those was a pre-recorded message from NC Governor Roy Cooper, who has visited the ACC campus for events on several occasions over the past few years.
“Our community colleges are our ‘not so secret weapon’ when it comes to building a talented workforce and a stronger economy,” said Cooper. “With this scholarship, Alamance Community College is making sure everyone has an opportunity to get a good job.”
View Governor Cooper’s brief message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqRjbwwptp8
Said ACC President Dr. Algie Gatewood: “This is about addressing the belief gap in our community, about letting families know that college is attainable for their children and for themselves, that they can believe a college education is within reach. The Alamance Promise program eliminates that barrier.”
Dr. Gatewood praised the commitment of the ACC Foundation to facilitating the Alamance Promise program. Last year the Foundation’s endowment was comprised of more than 171 individual funds totaling about $14.5 million. Total financial assets of the ACC Foundation exceeded $19.5 million. Carolyn Rhode is the Foundation’s Executive Director.
Kathryn Kyle, Senior Vice President of LabCorp, reflected on the long partnership between the college and her company that is headquartered in Alamance County. Dozens of ACC graduates have found employment with LabCorp over the years.
“We [LabCorp] would not be at the epicenter of our industry without highly-trained graduates to fill those positions,” she said. “Alamance Promise is key to developing a highly skilled workforce…LabCorp needs access to a roster of qualified graduates and ACC is uniquely positioned to address this need.”
Jack Overacre, Vice President of IBM-Kyndryl, an ACC alumnus and a longtime member of the ACC Foundation Board of Directors, spoke directly to prospective students in the area to apply for Alamance Promise, but appealed also to potential donors.
Dr. Dain Butler, the new Superintendent of Alamance-Burlington Schools, thanked Dr. Gatewood and the College for initiating the Alamance Promise program. He referenced the value ACC has had for ABSS students, including more than 800 high school students last year who took classes on the campus. More than 40 Early College students earned associate degrees this year as well.
“Working together works and that describes ABSS and ACC’s relationship,” said Butler.
For students to receive free classes through the Alamance Promise program, they must do four important things:
- Apply to ACC (new students) by filling out an online application.
- Fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which Financial Aid uses to award Pell and other grants to students.
- Apply to the ACC Foundation for named scholarships.
- Complete the RDS (Residency Determination Service) Application.
No Curriculum or Workforce Development student will be denied the ability to attend ACC due to financial need. ACC will not place restrictions on age, county of residence, or where they graduated from high school.
Anyone interested in donating specifically to the Alamance Promise fund can do so this way:
https://givebutter.com/AlamancePromise
and/or
Text “PROMISE” to 53-555
To get started on the Alamance Promise program, students should go to: www.alamancecc.edu/alamance-promise
Original source can be found here.
