So many Pinellas County high school students graduate with no idea how they might pay for a college degree or credential that will land them good-paying jobs and fulfilling careers. That’s why St. Petersburg College is offering the SPC Promise Scholarship to 2023 graduates from Lakewood, Tarpon Springs, Pinellas Park, Clearwater, and Northeast high schools.
“Providing avenues for economic mobility is key to our mission at SPC,” said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams. “This scholarship will provide access to a college degree to our most underserved residents, which benefits our entire community. We are thrilled to offer the ‘promise’ of a better future through a college education that prepares our students for sustainable, high-wage careers.”
The SPC Promise Scholarship, a pilot program, will cover all tuition and fees at St. Petersburg College – after any grants or scholarships a student receives are applied – for an Associate in Arts, an Associate in Science, or a financial aid-eligible certificate.
The scholarship is targeted toward the most impoverished communities in Pinellas County and is designed to provide graduates of the five high schools the opportunity to break a generational cycle of poverty. If the students are 100% fully Pell eligible, the SPC Promise Scholarship will provide an additional $500 award per semester to assist with expenses such as textbooks.
To apply, students must:
- Complete a FAFSA
- Complete the SPC application
- Enroll for at least six (6) credit hours, beginning in the Fall 2023 Term following their high school graduation
Requirements to keep the scholarship include:
- Complete the FAFSA each year
- Be continuously enrolled for at least six (6) credit hours in both Fall and Spring terms
- Complete an associate degree or a financial aid-eligible certificate by the end of their third academic year
- Maintain a 2.0 GPA and a successful course completion rate
Monies are disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis. Once an SPC application is submitted, students will be sent next steps.
The college also offers many other scholarships to students. In 2021-22, SPC awarded $6.6 million in public and private scholarships.
Jamelle Conner, Vice President of Student Affairs, said the SPC Promise Scholarship is an amazing investment in the potential of students within our community.
“It’s exciting because it can truly be life changing for them to take part in this opportunity, to go to college, and to earn a degree without going into debt,” Conner said. “We can’t wait to welcome them into the Titan family!”
Learn more at spc.edu/promisescholarship.