For essential workers across the state, this has been a year of challenges, resilience, and great courage as they risk their lives to ensure the safety and health of the general public and provide vital and necessary services. To recognize their service and support their futures, the state of Michigan has launched a new scholarship program, Futures for Frontliners, where workers can attend any local community college tuition free. Participants must enroll in community college courses by next year and complete their associate’s degree within four years. To date, more than 80,000 people have applied for the program.
The University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) has made significant investments in resources and support for transfer students over the past several years and is eager to encourage Futures for Frontliners participants to continue their educational journey at LSA.
LSA’s commitment to maintaining impactful and lasting connections with local community colleges draws over 250 transfer students from Michigan community colleges each year, and the Futures for Frontliners program is no different. With a suite of academic resources as well as financial and social support offered for transfer students at LSA, program participants can pursue a bachelor’s degree at one of the nation’s preeminent liberal arts colleges, an institution committed to keeping a world-class education affordable and accessible for all Michigan residents. The Go Blue Guarantee offers free tuition for Michigan residents with incomes of $65,000 and below and assets below $50,000.
“While there are many universities across the state to choose from, we see the University of Michigan and LSA as natural pipelines for Futures for Frontliners participants once they complete their associate’s degree,” said Susan Perreault, director of student recruitment at LSA. “LSA provides transfer students the space, services and support to continue thriving academically and beyond. We hope that these students consider U-M as their next step on their academic journey.”
There are multiple places for students to work on campus, such as in this photograph from the Student Activities Building taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.
LSA transfer students have a home away from home in the Transfer Student Center, which opened in January of this year. Even as students continue to learn remotely, transfer students can still connect with the campus community through the LSA Student Recruitment Team, which helps students navigate the transfer process, and LSA Transfer Student Ambassadors, who give prospective students insight into the transfer student experience. They can access all of the programs LSA offers, including the Opportunity Hub, which offers career coaching, internship opportunities and scholarships, alumni mentorship, and more; optiMize, where students develop social innovation projects; and the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), where students across the university can participate in various research projects in close collaboration with faculty.
“These are challenging times right now, but we hope that prospective transfer students see LSA as the right choice for them,” says Michael Hartman, LSA’s associate director of student recruitment, transfer initiatives and partnerships. “Futures for Frontliners is a great starting point in creating a path to U-M and LSA, and, ultimately, a student’s career success.”
The deadline to apply for Futures for Frontliners is December 31. For more information about transferring to LSA and making an appointment to connect with a transfer advisor, please visit the Transfer Student Center.
