Funding opportunities make college free for many students
Virginia Western Community College announces plans to provide a full array of in-person classes for its Fall Semester, which begins on Aug. 23, 2021. New funding from the state’s G3 program, the Re-Employing Virginians (REV) campaign and other initiatives means many students can begin the education and training they need for high-demand career fields free. Open enrollment for new students begins May 10, and on April 21 for returning students at www.virginiawestern.edu.
The college will provide in-person classes with social distancing in place, adhering to guidelines from the Governor’s Office, the Virginia Department of Health and the CDC. In addition, the college will also provide a mixture of online and remote learning formats along with online advising services for students who do not choose to attend on campus. The college strives to meet the safety, health and well-being of the entire community, and to continue its mission to provide quality educational and training opportunities.
“We are thrilled to be able to welcome more students back to our beautiful campus this fall for in-person classes,” said Dr. Robert H. Sandel, Virginia Western President. “We have learned a great deal throughout the pandemic about the best ways to deliver high-quality instruction online. At the same time, we know that many of our students learn best when they are in a classroom on campus. With the changing health and safety guidelines, we are now able to offer the best of both worlds. And now, many students can attend for free!”
Legislation was recently enacted for the “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back” initiative, or G3. The $36 million program makes tuition-free community college available to an estimated 36,000 low and middle-income students pursuing jobs in high-demand fields.
G3 is just one option for attending college free in the fall. Interested students can read about G3 and other funding initiatives, and find out if they qualify by visiting: www.virginiawestern.edu/freecollege. Some funding initiatives are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis when available, so students should apply today!
“After more than a decade of our Community College Access Program (CCAP) providing tuition assistance for students graduating high schools in our region, we have seen the difference it has made on individuals’ lives as well as upon the local economy,” said Sandel. “The new G3 program is poised to have a tremendously positive impact by helping more adult learners access the skilled training they need to build a career in healthcare, information technology and computer science, manufacturing and skilled trades, early childhood education and public safety.”
In addition to courses in Virginia Western’s academic calendar, the School of Career and Corporate Training (CCT) provides state-of-the-art training and retraining resources with short-term training and credentialing programs, many of which have additional funding opportunities. To find out more about CCT courses, visit: https://www.virginiawestern.edu/cct.
