New SCC scholarships aim to make college practically free

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Spartanburg Community College, OneSpartanburg Inc., and the Bringing Back the ’Burg Business Recovery Task Force have joined forces to make attending college at SCC more affordable through institutional scholarships, virtually eliminating tuition for all students throughout the 2021-2022 academic year.

Officials from those organizations made the announcement at a news conference today at the SCC Giles Campus in Spartanburg, aligning plans to strengthen and grow Spartanburg County through educational attainment for all citizens, according to a news release.

“I am excited to stand before you this morning, alongside our partners, to announce a new Spartanburg Community College initiative that has the power to transform our community for years to come — (to) transform the way we live, learn, work and play,” G. Michael Mikota, college president, said in the release. “Throughout the 2021-2022 academic year — fall, spring and summer semesters — SCC will offer institutional scholarships to reduce tuition for anyone attending our college. This means students can attend SCC at virtually no cost.”

Mikota said the college’s objective is retention and re-engagement: to retain current students and to re-engage individuals whose educational plans have been delayed or interrupted by the pandemic, financial barriers or other reasons.

“Education is the key to success, and the gateway to economic prosperity, and that has never been more true than now,” he said in the release. “Educational attainment in Spartanburg County must continue growing in order to attract higher-wage jobs in diverse industries. And to grow, we must continue our partnerships, working together to educate our citizens and provide businesses an educated and skilled workforce. As our community bounces back from the COVID-19 pandemic, SCC and our partners are ready to make dreams of college, new jobs and new careers a reality for everyone. The pathway to college at Spartanburg Community College is more affordable than ever before.”

SCC’s new institutional scholarships are available to anyone with a desire to begin or continue their education, including, according to the release, “anyone who needs a do-over by starting college again.”

All college-eligible students enrolled at SCC in a minimum of six credit hours (typically two courses) are eligible for the scholarships throughout the 2021-2022 academic year. To qualify, students must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application and have exhausted all other grants, aid, scholarships, etc., according to the release.

“Spartanburg has a history of aligning community assets to meet economic challenges,” Allen Smith, president and CEO of OneSpartanburg Inc., said in the release. “Today’s announcement positions us to increase educational attainment levels, attract innovative companies, and create generational impact for our people, our employers and our economy. We applaud Spartanburg Community College for stepping in at a time when our community needs it most.”

Bringing Back the ’Burg is Spartanburg's COVID-19 recovery effort, spearheaded by OneSpartanburg Inc., and made up of business and community leaders, elected officials, and others from around Spartanburg County.