Contributed by
Southern Union
The Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC) Foundation was among seven two-year colleges within Goodwill Southern Rivers territory to receive funds for Gap Grants to ensure the successful completion of associate degrees.
SUSCC received $140,000 to be used for scholarship money to help make up the difference between an individual’s resources for obtaining an education and the cost of tuition.
Goodwill President and CEO, Jack Warden stated “This initiative is designed to bridge the gap between existing scholarships and grants and the actual cost of tuition. There are several grants and scholarships out there, but in some instances, they fall short of the actual cost of the program. Oftentimes this is just a few hundred dollars, but that can be a huge barrier to someone trying to get an education to start their career.”
The introduction of the Goodwill gap grants is one of the first initiatives implemented as a result of a $10 million donation Goodwill received from McKenzie Scott. Goodwill has long been dedicated to closing the skills gap and eliminating barriers that often stand in the way of securing meaningful employment.
“We could not be more honored to receive this gift. Southern Union’s mission of providing a well-trained workforce is in line with Goodwill’s job readiness goals. We are happy to work together to provide citizens of our area this support,” said SUSCC President Todd Shackett.
The Southern Union Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that was established to support and foster the educational and service programs and activities of SUSCC. The Foundation increases educational access for students through financial support and enables the college to initiate innovative projects to enhance the quality of education.
For more information on this scholarship opportunity, please contact Shondae Brown at sbrown@suscc.edu.