ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball was joined by Howard Community College President Dr. Daria J. Willis to announce a transformational $3.5 million scholarship program – Complete4Success – for Howard Community College students. The Complete4Success Scholarship will cover tuition and fees, emergency needs, and training in critical industries for 2,000 eligible students so students can get their credits to complete their degrees and move into jobs and careers. Photos from the event can be found here.
Across our nation, higher education enrollment suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were faced with desperate situations—having to address both their academic and emergency needs such as digital access, books, food, and transportation. The Complete4Success program will allow our students to get the last few credits they need to complete their training or degree so that they can focus on creating their best selves and best future. These scholarships will also help us invest in our students so they can, in turn, give back in hard-hit industries.
This funding will supply needed resources for nearly 1,200 credit students who are near completers and help them complete their degree. This program will also assist approximately 500 noncredit students with short term training. The application process is still under development and will be shared in the coming weeks.
Education is the best way for Howard County families to advance economically. Students with an associate degree from Howard Community College will earn more in their lifetime than those with only a high school diploma or GED, but to get students to this economic success, we must first get them to complete. The Complete4Success Scholarship will serve students at the greatest risk of leaving college, students who most need their degree or credential to start jobs or advance into better paying careers. Thank you to County Executive Ball for investing In the future of Howard Community College students.
In addition to supplying needed support to help students receive their degrees or certificates, County Executive Calvin Ball allocated $1.2 million in funding to provide essential and emergency needs for students.
"Since the beginning of my college journey, I have received an educational scholarship, so I know how important scholarships are to students. Being a scholarship recipient has allowed me to be a fully immersed student," said Kimbily Boyd, Howard Community College culinary student. "I am excited that the new Complete4Success Scholarship will help students just like me who need additional financial support to finish their education. Scholarships made all the difference for me, and now the Complete4Success Scholarship will make a difference for others."
"My family and I all received scholarships to fund our education," said Lydia Awebwa, alumna of Howard Community College. "We’re forever grateful to HCC and the scholarships available that made our education possible. We would not be where we are today if we did not have scholarships.”