CLC ending one financial aid program
Citing a lack of funds, the College of Lake County is planning to end its partnership with One Million Degrees, a national organization that provides support for low-income students, after this school year.
"Funding opportunities can change in the future, but right now we do not have that funding stream available," interim Provost Ali O'Brien said.
CLC is committed to supporting the One Million Degrees students through their time at the college, she added.
Under their three-year agreement with the organization, which began in the 2015-16 school year, qualified low-income CLC students received scholarship money as well as support provided by the One Million Degrees staff and a team of volunteers. That included individual and small-group coaching, plus professional and personal development activities.
In the first two years of the agreement there were up to 40 CLC students in the program each year. In November, CLC announced that the program was expanding to 60 students.
Allison Lipsman, chief development officer for One Million Degrees, said volunteers came from the community and sometimes from the CLC staff. The volunteers, referred to as "coaches," would be paired up with a scholar from the program and meet with students regularly throughout the school year.
Lipsman said she hopes One Million Degrees can work the with college again in the future.
Money for the program, including tuition assistance, came through private donations to the CLC Foundation.
O'Brien said the foundation's focus is now on the new Promise Program, which aims ensure eligible high school graduates can attend the school and graduate regardless of financial limitations.
The Promise Program will fill the gap between what students receive in state or federal grants and the actual cost of tuition at the two-year school, as well as provide support to students similar to One Million Degrees, O'Brien said.
"The Promise Program model is intended to not only impact their academic success, but also their leadership development," she said.
One Million Degrees, formerly known as the Illinois Education Foundation, is a Chicago-based organization founded in 2006. It is supported by corporate donors and charitable foundations, including Allstate Insurance, Chicago Blackhawks Charities and the Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation.