Last fall, Lakeland University announced a new program to tackle the student debt issue and help some graduates enter the workforce with money in the bank.
The Lakeland Promise will provide qualified Wisconsin students an opportunity to attend Lakeland tuition/fees free for four years, up to three years for transfer students. Lakeland is Wisconsin’s first private college to offer a free tuition promise program for qualified students.
The Lakeland Promise will cover tuition and fees through the Wisconsin State Grant, Federal Pell Grant, and funding through Lakeland itself. Students can earn money through Lakeland’s award-winning Cooperative Education program, which allows students to work part- and full-time jobs at co-op partner companies. Wages from co-op jobs, along with federal loans and outside scholarships, can be used for textbooks, room and board and other expenses.
“With so much national debate rightly focused on addressing the student debt crisis, at Lakeland we’re flipping the script on the cost of getting a college education,” said Lakeland President, Dr. David Black. “Imagine graduating in four years with no debt and some money in the bank to get your life started. The Lakeland Promise offers that pathway to motivated students.
“Innovative programs like cooperative education and the Lakeland Promise are ways we can use our resources to provide access to students who want to improve their lives by earning a college education.”
The Lakeland Promise is for instate dependent students whose household adjusted gross income is less than $40,000 or independent students with an adjusted gross income of less than $15,000. Students whose expected family contribution (EFC), as determined by the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), is less than $1,700 will also qualify, regardless of adjusted household income. Students will need an unweighted high school or transfer grade point average of 2.75 or higher.
Additional details are available at Lakeland.edu/promise.