Of the nearly 182,000 eligible workers in the four Southwest Michigan Counties of Berrien, Cass, Van Buren and Allegan, 1,010 have submitted applications for free or deeply discounted community college tuition since the Michigan Reconnect scholarship program first opened over a month ago on February 2nd, and more than 40-percent of those are in Berrien County alone.
In total, across the state, more than 47,000 Michigan residents – including 8,000 in West Michigan – have submitted their applications at http://Michigan.gov/Reconnect since the program was launched.
Kalamazoo, Kent and Muskegon counties, respectively, have the largest number of applicants per capita in West Michigan. Next Monday, state and regional leaders will discuss the overwhelming response and their commitment to ensuring all eligible residents are aware of the opportunity when they host a press conference on the matter.
So far, these are the numbers in our region:
- Allegan County: 252 applications out of 54,074 eligible workers…
- Berrien County: 410 applications out of 66,662 eligible workers…
- Cass County: 83 applications out of 25,844 eligible workers…
- Van Buren County: 265 applications out of 35,214 eligible workers…
Michigan Reconnect is the largest effort in state history to make it easier and more affordable for residents 25 or older without a college degree – nearly 1 million in West Michigan – to have the opportunity to earn a tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate at their in-district community college.
Reconnect will also help address the state’s widening talent gap. Michigan employers’ ability to find highly skilled and capable employees is more difficult than ever and is cited as a top concern among state business leaders.
