I just got back from the Posse Plus Retreat. Posse is a scholarship program that sends a group of students from the same city (Boston, in Centre College's case) to college together as a mutual support group. Each spring all the posses (there is one group admitted each year) host a retreat for a larger group of students, faculty, and staff. It is always a great retreat, full of good talk, bonding, hilarity, and usually one Bright Idea. One that seems bright to me, anyway.
Right now the college offers the Centre Commitment. We promise that the college will make it possible for each student to study abroad, have an internship, and graduate in four years. If we fail, the student can have another year, on us.
We came up with a possible fourth plank for the Centre Commitment: We promise that the college will make it possible for a student to graduate with no more than $10,000 of debt.
This is just in the workshop stage, and no one with the power to make it so has bought into it yet. I think, though, that it would be a popular idea, and fits with the spirit of the rest of the Centre Commitment.
I will let you know if this notion bears fruit.
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4 comments:
Can this commitment be retroactive for alumni?
It's an amazing idea and would really set Centre apart and make it truly belong on all those "most affordable" lists.
That would be spectacular! I have more debt than that from Centre, but I know I'm still lucky. $10,000 would be amazing! But why that number? I know it's a low one, but if tuition is at least 30-something each year, is that even a likely figure? Would Centre be putting forth more money to cover the difference, or would they make an effort to look elsewhere for money, by maybe helping students apply for outside scholarships?
Davidson did away with student loans. Now they only utilize grants in financial aid packages. $10,000 or less in debt is a good idea, but no debt at all is even better!
Agreed, but Davidson has an endowment two or three times ours.
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