Now The Promise extends to some of Michigan's private colleges

Kathy Jennings | Thursday, June 12, 2014

A public state university or college is not the best fit for every student. Now Kalamazoo Public School graduates have 15 more choices when it comes to education paid for through The Kalamazoo Promise, all of them private schools.

Janice M. Brown, The Kalamazoo Promise Trustee, made the announcement June 11 that for students who graduate in 2015 The Promise will be expanded to cover a portion of the tuition at the schools that belong to the Michigan Colleges Alliance. The schools themselves will cover the balance of the tuition not covered by The Promise.

She was joined by Michigan Colleges Alliance Jeff Docking and Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran, President of Kalamazoo College. Kalamazoo College hosted the announcement that was more than two years in the making.

Brown told the crowd of media and community representatives gathered for the announcement that her children had the advantage to choose the school they wanted to attend, including Hope College, KVCC and WMU, and that choice should be available to all graduates. "We want to make sure that every promise school has the same advantage that my children have," Brown said.

That is now happening through a "marriage" of the Michigan Colleges Alliance and The Kalamazoo Promise. "We are doing this for one reason," Brown said. "So more students can have a choice to attend to and through college to become productive citizens of the world."

The President and CEO of Michigan Colleges Alliance Robert Bartlett said the 15 schools in the alliance are very distinct universities and colleges that are held together by their model of education. They are smaller, residential, and focus on programs of self discovery for students and global awareness. Together they have 41,000 students. "We have a lot of choices and a lot of resources to bring to students," Bartlett said.

The scholarship paid by The Promise for those attending the MCA schools is based on the average tuition for the University of Michigan School of Arts and Sciences. What is not covered by The Promise must be paid by the MCA school.

Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran, President of Kalamazoo College said that for K-College participation will be expensive, but the school is participating as part of its "commitment to the community that has supported it for 181 years."

"The financial impact will vary greatly. Schools with the more expensive programs will have to put more money into it," said Bartlett. He said the schools are known for their tenacity in raising private dollars "to support any student who comes to our campus."

In addition to 28 state funded colleges and 15 public universities, Promise scholars will now be able to decide if they would like to use their Promise scholarship to attend Adrian College, Albion College Alma College, Andrews University, Aquinas College, Calvin College, Hillsdale College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Madonna University, Marygrove College, Olivet College, Sienna Heights University, Spring Arbor University or the University of Detroit Mercy.