AREA COLLEGES REMOVE COST BARRIER TO COLLEGE ACCESS 

Article published Friday, October 10, 2008
Needy TPS grads can go to Owens free
By MEGHAN GILBERT
By MEGHAN GILBERT
BLADE STAFF WRITER

It’s not just for Woodward grads anymore.

Any Toledo Public Schools student with financial need can now attend Owens Community College for free.

“Yes, you can do this and, yes, you can afford to go to college,” Owens President Christa Adams told a group of seniors at Waite High School yesterday. She said she often hears student say they cannot afford to go to college. Her response — “Oh, yes you can.”

The college announced the expansion of the Owens Success Program eight months after starting it at Woodward as a pilot site.

Through the program, as long as a student graduates from a public Toledo high school and shows financial need on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the Owens Foundation will pick up the tab for whatever state and federal grants don’t cover.

                                 ###

Article published Monday, October 13, 2008
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
UT offers free tuition to 6 cities' graduates
Student must show need, keep 3.0 grade
By MEGHAN GILBERT
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Public school graduates from the state's largest cities have a shot at a free education at the University of Toledo.

As long as they show some financial need and keep their grades at a B average or higher, UT will make sure that 100 percent of the students' tuition and fees is covered.

"We're a public university and we feel it makes tremendous sense to work with the public school system," said Kevin Kucera, UT's associate vice president for enrollment services. "We feel this is a great opportunity to be a leader."

Called the University of Toledo Guarantee, the program is open to graduates of Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo public schools.