YPSILANTI, Mich. – Eastern Michigan University and Henry Ford College announced Wednesday a partnership to offer frontline workers scholarships to EMU.
In order to qualify, frontline workers must complete their HFC associate degree and pursue a bachelor’s degree at EMU. The partnership is the first of its kind, and stemmed from Governor Whitmer and the state’s Futures for Frontliners scholarship program. Under the program, frontline workers can earn a degree from a local community college at no cost.
“This is great news for the hundreds of thousands of brave men and women who have been serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s good news for our economy,” Gov. Whitmer said in a statement. “From the beginning, creating paths to prosperity for more Michiganders has been a top priority for my administration.
“I’m proud that our state has developed a way to give back to the Michiganders who have been working around the clock to protect us, and I am grateful for this partnership between Henry Ford College and Eastern Michigan University to help more people get on a path to opportunity.”
Recently, a pathway was established for students with an associate nursing degree from HFC to have their credits transferred to Eastern.
“Our frontline workers put themselves at risk to serve Michigan citizens during a pandemic. Now we are putting them at the forefront by supporting their futures,” HFC President Russ Kavalhuna said in a statement. “This new partnership between Henry Ford College and Eastern Michigan University is an exciting opportunity for Frontliners to extend their education even further. It will maximize their investment in themselves as they seek new or advanced careers.”
EMU has more than 150 articulation agreements with community colleges across the state -- the most of any university in Michigan.
According to a news release, the following scholarship opportunities will be offered by EMU through the partnership:
- HFC Frontliners graduates who enroll at EMU and are Pell eligible will receive an EMU Frontliner Scholarship to cover their remaining tuition balance. A Pell Grant plus the EMU Frontliner Scholarship = Free Tuition. The scholarship will cover 12 credits of tuition for five consecutive semesters of enrollment at EMU.
- HFC Frontliners graduates who enroll at EMU and are not Pell eligible will receive an EMU Frontliner scholarship of $5,000 that will be split into increments of $1,250 for each of four consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment at 12 or more credit hours per semester.
“Michigan’s frontline workers have worked tirelessly around the clock for months to maintain essential services and to keep our communities safe,” Eastern Michigan University President James Smith said in a statement.
“This new scholarship initiative is an extension of the excellent collaboration we have had with Henry Ford College for many years and provides a new opportunity to reward frontline workers by creating an affordable path to a college degree.”
New students who enroll at EMU can qualify for the EMU Frontliner Scholarship. The deadline to apply is Dec. 31.
Futures for Frontliners aims to increase the number of working-age adults in Michigan with a college degree or technical certificate from 45% to 60% by 2030. It is also the first of its kind in the U.S. and was inspired by the GI Bill federal government program which has been offering military veterans educations since World War II.
To find out if you are eligible for the program, visit HFC’s Futures for Frontliners website.
For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit www.emich.edu.