The Oregon Promise is a state sponsored scholarship awarded to high school graduates planning on spending the next two years or less studying at a community college. According to Rebecca Redell, Umpqua Community College’s vice president of administrative services and chief financial officer, UCC has 222 students who earned the Oregon Promise scholarship this year.
The Oregon Promise program requires being a recent Oregon graduate of no more than six months with a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Applicants must be an Oregon resident for at least one year prior to applying and must complete a Free Application For Student Aid, often referred to as the FAFSA. The scholarship also requires applicants to not have more that 90 college credits.
Recipients of the award last year were recently sent an email showing they were being considered for a renewal of the grant. An email from info@oregonpromise.org stated that “funding for the Oregon Promise program for 2017-18 depends on the approval of the Oregon Legislative.” UCC President Debra Thatcher at a Dialogue with Deb forum said that the Oregon Promise was three million dollars short for spring term due to not being funded adequately; however, she expects funding to be continuing.
If the legislation does pass as expected, accepted students will be granted the Oregon Promise, receiving coverage of most community college tuition.
For prior recipients of the Oregon Promise, there are still requirements for a renewal. Prior recipients must have completed the first-year experience at their community college, maintained satisfactory progress determined by their school and must still be enrolled for a minimum of six credits per term.
If students do qualify for a renewal, they will be notified in August of 2017 from OSAC. “Check your emails frequently for updates,” the email stated.
Students who want to apply have until five p.m. on July 3 to submit their applications and submit a transcript from either a community college or high school. The deadline for completing the accompanying FAFSA is July 14. Oregon Promise applications can be found by accessing their OSAC student portal online (search for Oregon Office of Student Access and Completion) People wanting assistance in applying for the Oregon Promise can visit the UCC student center lobby and ask at the help desk for a financial aid employee or a peer mentor. Summer hours will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
The OSAC’s mission is “to expand opportunities for Oregonians to complete their higher education and career training goals through information, mentoring, and financial aid,” according to the Office of Student Access and Completion.