CCRI hosts second RI Promise enrollment day
WARWICK –– The Community College of Rhode Island held another successful enrollment day Thursday for students looking to attend school through the state’s new free tuition program, Rhode Island Promise.
Rhode Island Promise allows students, specifically Rhode Island residents who meet the program eligibility criteria, to attend CCRI for up to two years with no tuition or mandatory fees. The funding is provided to eligible students regardless of their family’s income.
Thursday was the second Promise Enrollment Day for 2018 high school graduates and GED recipients to either start the enrollment process, finish their financial aid, take their ACCUPLACER, or sign up for classes. The event served as a one-stop-shop for prospective students looking to get signed up in time for the fall.
“Our team has come together in a really welcoming and organized fashion for today,” said Sara Enright, CCRI Vice President of Student Affairs. “We’ve already seen probably 100 students and their families stepping through the process. We feel it’s a good opportunity to open our doors to all of these fresh high school graduates and help them get set up for success.”
“It’s been awesome to be able to see and interact with the students,” said CCRI staff member Melissa Macedo. “We’re having everyone use the hashtag #CCRIPromise and giving out our social media information.
We’re just trying to engage them socially.”
Both parents and students at the event said RI Promise has given them an opportunity to attend college and come out debt-free.
“I think it’s a great opportunity,” said Coventry resident Kattie Couture while her daughter, Emilie, a recent Coventry High School graduate, took her ACCUPLACER test. “I didn’t get an opportunity like this. She can pick her classes here and she’ll get her ID today, too. I think it’s a great program. I would take advantage of it if I could.”
West Warwick resident and single mom of three Jessica Westphal
attended the enrollment event with her son, Joshua Diaz, a student at Horgan Elementary, and her daughter, Yanessa Diaz, who recently graduated from West Warwick High School.
“I think this is phenomenal,” said Westphal. “Especially as a single mom of three children, I just think it’s great. This helps me out a lot. Yanessa is taking her test and then she’s going to do her FAFSA next. This is a great one-stop-shop.”
Pawtucket residents and recent graduates Pablo Santos and William Mejia, both 18, attended the event Thursday to begin the enrollment process together and take their first steps into college life.
“We’re signing up and hopefully getting enrolled today,” said Mejia.
“It’s funny because we’ve been together since middle school and now we’re going to college together.”
Both Mejia and Santos met as ESL students in middle school. Mejia hopes to eventually transfer to the New England Institute of Technology to pursue a degree in video editing and audio production, while Santos is thinking about becoming a teacher.
“At first I was really indecisive about college,” said Mejia. “It’s really a lot of pressure, all the loans and stuff. I was really debating doing this, but then this opportunity came along and it was perfect. It was perfect timing.”
Mejia was originally thinking about taking a couple years off from school to save some money, but with RI Promise offering free tuition he decided to take advantage of the opportunity now.
“The last thing I want to do is be in debt,” he said.
“I was planning on coming here regardless, but this gives you a kickstart,” said Santos. “It helps a lot. I like how close it is.”
Both Santos and Mejia took the day off from work to attend the event and get enrolled. They hope to attend classes at CCRI’s Flanagan campus in the fall.
“There are a lot of people to help you and it’s very specialized here,” said Santos. “You can do everything in one place. The process is hard but it’s worth it in the end. At least they have events like today so you don’t have to run all around for everything. We really got to see the best part of CCRI.”
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo stopped in to chat with students and parents about what RI Promise means for their families.
“It’s exciting,” said Raimondo. “I’ve talked to so many students here and the only reason they’re able to go to college is because of the Promise scholarship. And they deserve a chance. This gentleman wants to be an engineer, this woman wants to be a nurse. These kids are smart, talented and hardworking, they’re just not rich. I’m happy. I talked to a lot of parents too who say they’re single parents. They can’t afford college. This is going to make a difference. This is why I do the job.”