As of this coming semester, Ferris is joining forces with a program that involves helping students find access and support to achieve their academic needs.
The Detroit Promise Partnership is a program that provides a tuition-free path for Detroit-based students. All students who qualify can join whether they are looking to do trade school or get their two-year or four-year credentials.
In addition, not only does the program help students living in Detroit or attending a city school commit to Ferris tuition free, but it also helps them improve access to an education that can change their lives forever.
Even with the program being available to Ferris students, there are some students on campus who haven’t heard of the program and didn’t know it was a partner with the university. Medical laboratory science major sophomore, David Ngendahayo, didn’t know that the program existed. After reading about the program’s impact on Ferris, Ngendahayo was able to touch on what he believed to be positive impacts the program had on the students and the university.
“We are getting more people to come here [Ferris] from different places in the Detroit area,” Ngendahayo said. “The students who would attend here from Detroit would be more entuned to come to Ferris because they’d be attending for less [money]. The more students that come in because of the program, the more Ferris would be recognized as a school to helping students graduate.”
Television & digital media production sophomore Dante Marchesi, commented his thoughts after reading about the program’s name and details.
“I’d definitely be interested,” Marchesi said. “If this is a program for my future, then I would be interested to see what it would have in store for me.”
Ferris is one of the six new colleges to become partners with the Detroit-based program. The other new members are The College for Creative Studies, Lawrence Technological University, Olivet College, Siena Heights University, and St. Clair County Community College. With these six joining the program’s partnership, the total number of partners of colleges and universities is now up to 32.
With the success of the program, there’s not only the possibilities of similar programs being created in the state of Michigan, but throughout the entirety of the United States. Biotechnology major sophomore Brandon Ung touched on the importance of partnership programs being created throughout the country but also reflected on what the Detroit-based program has done for students who live in that area and decided to join the partnership.
“I feel like it’s important for other states to apply a similar program to students who attend school at a college that’s far away from their county,” Ung said. “It would also help people from are living in a lower standard and need the aid to get the schools that are partnered with these types of programs.”
Since its launch in 2013, the Detroit Promise Partnership has supported more than 5,000 students from over 50 Detroit high schools. Having 32 schools join the program as partners shows that their communities care about their students and take extra steps to make their education a top priority. The partnership itself brings these schools together to ensure that students can succeed educationally and accomplish their dreams.
To learn more, contact the university’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid by phone at (231) 591-2110 and at finaid@nullferris.edu. Additional information is available at www.detroitpromise.com.