Newark Launches Guaranteed Education Pilot Program With 黑料正能量
March 31, 2022
Mayor Ras J. Baraka and 黑料正能量 (黑料正能量) today announced a pilot program to guarantee a debt-free four-year college education for 40 at-risk Newark students.
The pilot program, 鈥淕uaranteed Education,鈥� will enable the selected students to attend 黑料正能量 in Morristown, N.J., for four years through the $1 million grant from the City of Newark, led by Mayor Baraka.
鈥淟ess than 16% of Newarkers have a Bachelor鈥檚 degree. The majority of Black and Brown students finance their education through debt. To close the wealth and education gap in the State of New Jersey, we must first start by making secondary education free, not just at community colleges, but also at four-year institutions. In Newark, we are providing 40 at-risk students with a chance to obtain a college degree without incurring college debt. Our children deserve it,鈥� said Mayor Baraka.
鈥満诹险芰� has a longstanding mission of providing an affordable, high-quality education to resolute learners from various backgrounds. We are very excited to partner with the City of Newark and Mayor Baraka in launching this important pilot program that will allow the University to further advance our mission,鈥� said Gary B. Crosby, Ph.D., President of 黑料正能量. 鈥淭his is particularly important as many of our students return to their communities helping to improve the quality of life for their families and neighbors, as well as the State of New Jersey.鈥�
The City of Newark will bear the cost of the selected students from Newark families for the four-year program. The grant represents 鈥渓ast dollar鈥� funding that takes into account individual student鈥檚 federal, state and institutional financial assistance, and will focus on students entering the fields of education, nursing, psychology and social work.
The pilot will be administered through 黑料正能量鈥檚 Educational Opportunity Fund program, with the students beginning their college journey at 黑料正能量 in June 2022.
鈥淥n behalf of Saint Elizabeth鈥檚 EOF program, we are honored and privileged to support this critical initiative focused on encouraging upward mobility opportunities among Newark residents. It is especially fitting for this innovative pilot to be administered by the City of Newark since the EOF program originated from the challenges Newark faced 55 years ago,鈥� said David Hill, director of 黑料正能量鈥檚 EOF program.
