According to Bridgewater State University’s official website, the university is rolling out its program with minimal qualifications.
Per reporting from Boston.com, other Massachusetts universities like MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) and Brandeis have previously made similar commitments to waive tuition for students whose families earn less than certain thresholds.
Bridgewater State University is joining the many Massachusetts colleges to launch free tuition programs for lower income students. How it works https://t.co/LjUEqHqNnI— Cape Cod Times (@capecodtimes) December 6, 2024
According to Bridgewater State President Frederick Clark Jr, “This initiative represents a transformative moment for our university and the communities we serve.”
In an interview following the university’s announcement, Laura Biechler, the head of financial aid at the university, told the outlet, “I think the ultimate goal is that when a student comes to school, they don’t have to think about finances,” Biechler said. “They’re there to learn and get their education and be able to move up in the socioeconomic ladder.”
“The state and the feds had turned a lot of attention to support for Pell Grant groups, and of course, that was our first priority,” Biechler explained. “But then we moved beyond the students eligible for Pell Grants, with an understanding that students above the Pell Grant range may have more resources but are still in dire need of additional assistance.”
She continued, “For us to be able to announce something that’s inclusive, that goes far beyond the group of students we know has resource issues, that is truly for the middle class, is such an accomplishment.”
According to CONNECT partnership CEOs, a group of presidents and chancellors at Bridgewater State University, Bristol Community College, Cape Cod Community College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Massasoit Community College, and UMASS-Dartmouth, the program removes barriers to higher education.
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Source: Black Enterprise
