The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education has teamed with colleges and universities across the state to provide Kentuckians with incentives to finish their college degree.
Kentucky’s Project Graduate is the first in a series of outreach efforts designed to boost the postsecondary education level of state residents. State data analyzed by the council show that more than 300,000 Kentuckians between the ages of 25 and 50 have some college credit from a public institution but no degree. Of those, more than 11,000 have earned 90 or more credit hours.
Beginning this month, each institution in the state will contact their former students who are identified as Project Graduate candidates. Those individuals will be eligible for various campus incentives, which can include tuition assistance, application fee waivers, personal advising and simplified admissions paperwork. Response teams at each institution will ensure those who respond can take advantage of incentives and quickly navigate the admissions process. Qualified Kentuckians can also enroll in the program by visiting the Project Graduate page on www.GoHigherKy.org.
A recent telephone survey of 1,600 former Kentucky college students found that half of the respondents said they were somewhat or very likely to return to college within the next two to three years.
“To keep pace with a changing world and increase their earning power, more adults are going back to finish their degree to advance in their careers,” said Brad Cowgill, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education. “We know these folks juggle hectic schedules with work, family and other commitments, and our institutions are prepared to make their re-entry as quick and seamless as possible.”
Project Graduate is part of the council’s plan to double the number of college graduates in the state by 2020. Statistics show that college graduates earn more, are healthier, create a more robust economy and enjoy a higher quality of life. The Double the Numbers plan is based on the premise that increasing bachelor’s degrees is the fastest, most direct way for Kentucky to increase its economic prosperity.
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