Shelton State Signs Elevate Scholarship Agreement with Tuscaloosa City Schools
October 18, 2022 – Shelton State Community College (SSCC), along with Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) and the City of Tuscaloosa, hosted a press conference Wednesday, October 19, at 8:00 a.m. to announce a new scholarship aimed at helping more students afford higher education.
A new cost-matching program will now be available to Tuscaloosa City School students who use the ELEVATE scholarship for dual enrollment at Shelton State. Under the new agreement, dually enrolled students who attend SSCC can enroll at the College tuition-free for up to nine (9) credit hours post-high school. Currently, the ELEVATE Scholarship, funded by the City of Tuscaloosa, allows Tuscaloosa City School students to receive up to nine (9) hours of dual enrollment at Shelton State, Stillman College, and the University of Alabama.
“Our goal is that every one of our students is either enrolled, enlisted, or employed when they graduate high school,” said Tuscaloosa City Schools Superintendent Mike Daria. “The ELEVATE scholarship has been vital to allowing our students to gain college credit for free while still in high school, helping them to make progress toward their post-graduation goals. This new matching program with Shelton State is taking that even further, making college more accessible for so many TCS students.”
Currently, 197 TCS students are receiving dual enrollment scholarships at SSCC. The courses range from English and Math to Welding and Cosmetology. Those students will receive matching scholarships upon graduation. The total leveraged funds for these 197 students will be close to $280,000 and an average of $1420 per student. This dollar amount will significantly increase during the spring and summer semesters.
“Dual enrollment provides high school students with exposure to college courses and workforce development,” says Dr. Chris Cox, Shelton State’s President. “These students will one day be part of West Alabama’s workforce, and we want them to be as prepared as possible for the growing number of jobs in our region. We’re proud to join this effort to make enrollment at Shelton State more affordable.”
Dr. Daria, Dr. Cox, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox will be present at Wednesday’s press conference, which will be held at the Tuscaloosa City Schools Central Office – 1210 21st Avenue, Tuscaloosa, 35401. TCS students who are currently dually enrolled at Shelton State and will be eligible for the new match scholarship program will also be present for interviews.
