Residents Of Michigan Are Eligible For A Free College Education
The state of Michigan has announced a program that will allow any Michigander to earn a tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate from community colleges in Michigan. The brand new scholarship. Michigan Reconnect is a program that provides a historic tuition-free opportunity for more than 4.1 million Michiganders aged 25 and up to earn an associate degree or skills certificate.
Obtaining an advanced education is the best way to improve skills and apply for and obtain better-paying jobs and careers.
Michigan Lags Behind Other States In Advanced Education
In 2019, only 41% of Michigan’s working-age residents had an associate degree or higher, ranking Michigan 31st in the country. According to the Michigan Community College Association, the average age of Michigan’s 365,232 residents currently enrolled in a community college is 25.7 years old, with more than 36% being 25 or older.
People in Michigan who do not have a college degree or a training credential frequently face economic difficulties. According to a 2020 analysis by the American Association of Community Colleges, the median annual earnings of full-time employees with a high school diploma are $40,510, while those with an associate degree earn $50,079, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
The Michigan Reconnect Program will begin in 2021
In February 2021, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and a bipartisan group of lawmakers announced the $30 million Michigan Reconnect program. “I am proud of the hard work that has gone into creating this historic new opportunity, and I look forward to continuing bipartisan work with legislators to ensure that 60 percent of Michiganders have a postsecondary degree by 2030.”
Michigan Reconnect will cover the cost of tuition for eligible individuals who wish to pursue an associate degree or a skills certificate at their local community college. More than 70 private training schools with 120 programs offer certificates in high-demand manufacturing, construction, and information technology industries.
How to Apply for the Michigan Reconnect Program and Eligibility
To be eligible for Michigan Reconnect, you must:
- Be at least 25 years old when you apply
- I lived in Michigan for a year or more
- Have a high school diploma
- Have not yet completed a college degree (associate or bachelors)
Reconnect scholarships are available at all Michigan community colleges, and they are also available to qualifying students who are already enrolled at their local community college. Following the application of all other state and federal financial aid, the program pays the remaining tuition and mandatory fees. In addition, for those who want to attend an out-of-district community college, Reconnect will cover the in-district component of tuition.
Applications can be submitted at Michigan.gov/Reconnect.
Community Colleges in Mid-Michigan
Delta Community College – University Center (South of Bay City)
Delta Community College’s district includes the counties of Saginaw, Midland, and Bay. Both Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University comprise University Center, Michigan. There are 15,000 students enrolled at the college.
Mid-Michigan Community College – Harrison
Mid Michigan Community College (MMCC) is a public community college with two campuses in Michigan, one in Harrison and one in Mount Pleasant. The 1965-founded institution provides one- and two-year certificates and associate degrees in transfer, occupational, and health science programs.
Kirkland Community Collage – Grayling
Kirtland offers degree and certificate programs and transfer associate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, professional programs, industrial trades, health science, public safety, and other areas of study. In addition, evening and online classes are offered.
Lansing Community College – Lansing
Each academic year, Lansing Community College provides 230 associate degree and certificate programs and about 1,150 courses. The Higher Learning Commission has granted its accreditation. LCC is also a training center for the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium. Most of the classes in this center are located at the college’s West Campus. Student enrollment 18,000.
Macomb Community College – Warren
The college’s offerings are university transfer, early college, professional certification, job development, continuing education, and enrichment programs. In addition, its nationally renowned University Center, founded in 1991, provides bachelor’s degree completion and graduate-level programs.
Montcalm Community College – Sidney
MCC is a public community college in Sidney, Michigan, with a campus. Montcalm Community College, founded in 1965, had 2,080 students enrolled in 2005. According to the website Academic Influence, Montcalm Community College is the 14th best in Michigan.
This college is in the district if you live in one of the following school districts or counties: Carson City-Crystal Schools, Central Montcalm Public Schools, Greenville Public Schools, Lakeview Community Schools, Montabella Community Schools, Tri-County Area Schools, or Vestaburg Community Schools.
Mott Community College – Flint
MCC has over 100 different degree and certificate programs, as well as hundreds of different classes. Furthermore, the college provides degrees, college transfers, and career training. The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredits Mott Community College. According to the website Academic Influence, Mott Community College is the tenth best in Michigan.
Students living within the boundaries of the Genesee Intermediate School District are considered in-district for this college.
St. Clair County Community College – Port Huron
SC4 offers certificate and associate degree programs. It also offers online classes and transfer programs to four-year colleges. Furthermore, through collaboration with University Center partners, students can earn Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees without ever leaving the SC4 campus. SC4 has learning centers in Port Huron, Harbor Beach, Algonac, Yale, Peck, and Croswell, and its main campus in Port Huron. SC4 serves a large portion of Michigan’s Thumb region through these regional centers. According to the website Academic Influence, SC4 is ranked 22nd in Michigan.
The current district is based on St. Clair County K-12 school districts and does not include Anchorage residents who live in St. Clair County.
The Michigan Thumb Region’s Hot Jobs in 2021
The following positions require skilled individuals with a certificate or associate degree from a community college. In Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, and Shiawassee counties, these positions are in high demand.
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics – Median Hourly Wage: $ 17.08
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses – Median Hourly Wage:$ 23.23
- Machinists – Median Hourly Wage: $16.06
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General – Median Hourly Wage: $15.84
- Medical Assistants – Median Hourly Wage: $14.08
- Nursing Assistants – Median Hourly Wage: $14.72
- Personal Care Aides – Median Hourly Wage: $ 11.09
- Pharmacy Technicians – Median Hourly Wage: $ 13.60
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters – Median Hourly Wage: $ 33.86
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers – Median Hourly Wage: $16.38
History of Community Colleges in Michigan
At least seven origins of educational innovation offered to the development of the community college. First, in the 1880s and 1890s, two trends began: community boosterism and the rise of the research university. Then, at the start of the 20th century, the Progressive Era’s educational reforms resulted in the foundation of universal secondary education, the professionalization of teacher education, and the vocational education movement. Finally, the last two important aims were open access to higher education and the rise of adult and continuing education and community services.
Steps toward providing community college services to the Clare and Gladwin areas occurred in 1962. The concept of the College was supported two years later by the two local intermediate school districts and the five school districts within the two counties. As an outcome of this concept’s acceptance, a Citizens Advisory Council was established to assess the feasibility of establishing a community college. The Council’s report, completed in 1965, recommended the establishment of a local community college. The Council’s report was then submitted to the Michigan Department of Public Instruction, and the College was approved in July 1965.
In 1950, Charles Stewart Mott donated $1 million to Flint Junior College. This allowed it to become a four-year institution in collaboration with the University of Michigan. In addition, it paved the way for the College and Cultural Center to be established. In 1951, William Ballenger, Sr. set aside $200,000 to construct an athletic field house. Also, Ballenger established a trust fund for several million dollars. This allowed the college to hire quality instructors and elevate Flint Junior College to a true community college.
Conclusion of Community Colleges in Michigan
Michigan Reconnect is a program that will allow any Michigander to earn a tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate from a Michigan community college. Unfortunately, only 41% of Michigan’s working-age residents had an associate degree in 2019, ranking Michigan 31st in the country.