District 2 seniors can get full scholarship to Pikes Peak Community College
Pikes Peak Community College announced Wednesday that eligible Harrison School District 2 seniors will be able to attend the two-year college with a full-ride scholarship.
In partnership with the Dakota Foundation and the Legacy Institute, the Dakota Promise Scholarship is set to start in fall 2020.
“The idea behind this scholarship is to create new on-ramps, new ways for young people in some of our most underserved areas to reach their dreams,” said Lance Bolton, the president of PPCC.
Seniors eligible for the program will need to complete high school with 2.5 or better GPA for their combined junior and senior years, enroll at PPCC within 12 months of graduation, enroll and complete a minimum of 24 credit hours per academic year and apply for financial aid.
District Two Superintendent Wendy Birhanzel said she is thrilled with the program and hopes the school district can be more of a partner than just a recipient.
“I feel that we’ve told our students they could go to college, but we forget that the financial barriers they face can be enormous,” Birhanzel said. “But this changes everything. We will truly be a pre-k to college district. This will be huge for our kids.”
The pilot scholarships will be funded by the Dakota Foundation for three years. Additional funding has been provided by the Legacy Foundation and Harrison School District is working to ensure the program is sustainable in the fourth year.
“Education offers the most effective pathway for upward mobility in our society,” said Bart Holaday, the chairman and CEO of the Dakota Foundation. “We at the Dakota Foundation, in partnership with PPCC and the Legacy Institute, are delighted to be able to create higher-education opportunities for District Two high school graduates. The Dakota Promise Scholarship will improve their lives and our society.”
