NCTC launches Red River Promise
North Central Texas College hosted an official launch party for their Red River Promise program this week, a program that will offer high school students from Cooke and Montague counties, as well as Graham ISD, the opportunity to attend college with varied support services and free tuition and fees.
NCTC Chancellor Dr. Brent Wallace opened the event, remarking, “The Red River Promise is not just about NCTC, but communities, schools, and universities creating a college-going culture in North Texas, specifically in our rural communities. This is about creating a strong workforce and a future without major college indebtedness.”
Barbara Stanley, Director of the Red River Promise and once a low-income, first-generation student herself, knows the impact that an education can have on a student and their family.
“So many of our students suffer from self-doubt, lacking self-awareness of their talents and abilities,” said Stanley. “This program creates a path to education that is accessible, economical and dependable. Through the program, scholars will be guaranteed a tuition-covered educational pathway, regardless of family income level, race, or high school GPA.”
Muenster High School senior Kelsey Eldridge plans to make her pledge to the Red River Promise program this spring and will attend NCTC in Fall 2022.
“Coming from a family with little income and at times a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle, college didn’t seem like an option for me,” said Eldridge. “Financially, none of this seemed possible. When my counselor mentioned the Red River Promise program, I was immediately intrigued. I truly believe that this scholarship will have a positive impact on so many students in our community and I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”
Once students make their pledge to the program, they can attend NCTC or a partnering university the fall after they graduate from high school, receiving this last-in scholarship. A last-in scholarship means that the promise program will cover any balance in tuition and fees that is not covered by federal or state financial aid or institutional scholarships.
The 13 school districts participating in the program are Bowie ISD, Callisburg ISD, Era ISD, Forestburg ISD, Gainesville ISD, Gold-Burg ISD, Graham ISD, Lindsay ISD, Muenster ISD, Nocona ISD, Prairie Valley ISD, Saint Jo ISD, and Valley View ISD. High school students at these schools can contact their counselor for more information or visit promise.nctc.edu.
The seven university partners participating are Texas Woman’s University, Midwestern State University, University of Texas at Arlington, University of North Texas at Dallas, West Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University Commerce, and Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
The Red River Promise program is funded by a grant from the Greater Texas Foundation, with additional support from the Rural Community College Alliance, the National College Promise Campaign, and Phi Theta Kappa.
