Last-Dollar Scholarship program to fill financial aid gap for NICC students
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
NICC DISTRICT—Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) students enrolled in several high-employment demand programs will qualify to receive additional financial aid from the state of Iowa to support their education and training.
The Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, signed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on June 3, will be available for students whose federal and state aid does not cover the entire cost of a program, beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year.
The supplementary aid may be used by students enrolled in certificate, diploma and associate’s degree programs at Northeast Iowa Community College, provided that the programs are training students for in-demand occupations identified by the state, according to Wendy Mihm-Herold, Ph.D., NICC vice president of business and community solutions.
“Northeast Iowa Community College is excited to partner with the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship initiative. The ability to assist students with academic training in high-demand occupations to meet our local and state workforce needs is extremely imperative at this time, due to our low unemployment and skills shortage in our communities,” stated Mihm-Herold.
The new scholarship initiative will greatly benefit current students at NICC, such as Haley Milne, who is enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing program. “When taking college classes there’s very few hours left in the day to actually make money. It’s stressful and scary to put that financial burden on my family. The Last-Dollar Scholarship funds will take a huge weight off my shoulders and help me get through school faster so I can start my career,” Milne expressed.
Applicable programs offered by NICC that qualify for the new scholarship include: Carpentry, Computer Analyst: Networking Administration and Tech Support, Computer Technology, Networking and Programming, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machinist Technician, Dental Assisting, Electrician: Commercial / Residential, Gas Utility Construction and Service, Heating and Air Conditioning, Industrial Maintenance Technician, John Deere TECH, Medical Laboratory Technician, Nursing: Associates Degree, Nursing: Practical, Paramedic, Radiologic Technology, Renewable Energy, Respiratory Care, Surgical Technology and Welding.
To be eligible, new high school students must enroll full-time. Adult learners may enroll full- or part-time. All students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), attend orientation, meet with an advisor, remain continuously enrolled and make satisfactory progress. Students may qualify for the Last-Dollar Scholarship for up to five full-time semesters or eight part-time semesters. Qualified students will need to reapply each year.
The Future Ready Iowa initiative calls for 70 percent of all Iowans to have earned at least some post-secondary training and education beyond high school by 2025. The state’s 15 community colleges are positioned to train and educate students to meet these objectives affordably, quickly and effectively. Additional information on Future Ready Iowa is available at www.futurereadyiowa.gov. The Iowa legislature designated $13 million dollars in funding to support the new Last-Dollar Scholarship initiative.
For information on qualifying programs and Last-Dollar Scholarship funding, visit www.nicc.edu/scholarships.