Johnson State Teams With CCV, Boys and Girls Club to Help Young Vermonters Achieve Dream of College

March 5, 2014

Johnson State College, the Community College of Vermont and the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington have joined forces to help make college an achievable goal for a cohort of young Vermonters.

The new “Club to College Scholars” program was announced at a joint press conference March 5 featuring Vermont Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe, JSC President Barbara E. Murphy, CCV President Joyce Judy, and Burlington Boys & Girls Club Director Mary Alice McKenzie.

The press conference took place at the club’s main site in Burlington’s Old North End, followed by a “sugar on snow” party for the children, with maple syrup donated and served by the Howrigan Family Farms of Fairfield.

The new program builds on the Boys & Girls Club’s “Early Promise Program,” which provides intensive academic support to eligible club members who are committed to succeeding in post-secondary education. The program requires club members to set educational goals both at school and at the club.

The “Club to College Scholars” program will allow club members who meet these goals to enroll in a certificate or associate degree program at CCV and, after meeting academic requirements, to matriculate in a bachelor’s degree program at JSC while paying CCV’s lower tuition rate.

“This partnership will ultimately strengthen Vermont by providing a clear pathway for club members to earn a college degree right here in the state at the most affordable price available,” Judy said. “This is a great opportunity for students, a great agreement for our institutions to be part of, and a great success for the state of Vermont.”

Murphy noted that “having Johnson State College as a third partner allows young, college-bound learners to set goals in achievable phases, to grow with their goals and make their dreams a practical reality.”

In addition to financial support from JSC, “Club to College” scholars who continue at JSC will be eligible for need-based scholarships from the Boys & Girls Club to assist with the cost of fees, room and board.

Among the additional provisions announced under the agreement:

• The Boys and Girls Club will offer individualized academic support plans, technological support, post-secondary goal setting and scholarship support.

• Club members may take “Introduction to College Studies” and two free “Dual Enrollment” classes at CCV while still in high school.

• Club members who graduate from high school or attain a GED credential may enroll in a certificate or associate degree program at CCV. The college will provide new student orientation, individualized academic advising, and support through the academic learning center.

• As an incentive to encourage students to complete their CCV certificates or associate degrees, club members will receive a $250 “Club to College Incentive Scholarship” after successfully completing their 15, 30, and 45 credits and maintaining a minimum 2.5 grade-point average. To receive the scholarship, they must continue to enroll and progress in their academic program.