The ambitious and unique Kalamazoo Promise, with its college scholarship offer to each of the city's high school graduates, has produced its first bachelor's degree graduate.
Stacy Westhoff, a member of the 2006 class of
Kalamazoo Central High School, made quick work of her college education, graduating from Western Michigan University in January, just three and 1/2 years after Kalamazoo Promise accepted its first public high school graduates.
The program, which was launched in 2005 and enrolled its first students in 2006, is funded by anonymous donors who promise to provide a college education at state institutions to all graduates of Kalamazoo's public schools.
The scholarship amount is based on a student's years of enrollment in the district.
The idea behind the promise is to spark economic development in the city by attracting residents who want access to the scholarship money. The philosophy behind it also holds that more highly-educated citizens lead to good things for a community.
Westhoff, for one, says she is already seeing positive changes that she believes could be connected to the
Kalamazoo Promise.
"More schools are being built. More neighborhoods. More development ... I could have gone to college without this, but for so many people this is the chance of a lifetime."
The 22-year-old majored in philosophy with a concentration on professional and applied ethics. She minored in business.
And, she's headed toward another life milestone in May, when she will marry.
Bob Jorth, Kalamazoo Promise's executive administrator, says seeing the first student cross the stage was a big deal, but May will bring many more reasons to be proud as 50 to 75 Kalamazoo Promise students are expected to don their caps and gowns.
About a dozen students have already received two-year degrees or certificates courtesy of the Kalamazoo Promise, Jorth says.
About 190 students from the city's high school graduating classes of 2006 remain currently enrolled, and in total 342 from that first group of 2006 high school grads have used Kalamazoo Promise dollars to pay tuition.
Kalamazoo Promise recipients have 10 years to complete their degree.
"We had no idea what our retention rate would be" Jorth says. "Of our first class we have an 80 percent retention rate. I'm not an expert on this, but I expect that number is quite high."
Currently,about 1,000 students - from 2006 to the most recent high school graduating classes - are attending college on Kazoo Promise's dime.
Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Bob Jorth, executive administrator, Kalamazoo Promise, and Stacy Westhoff, Kalamazoo Promise graduate
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