Fayetteville State works to make college affordable and attainable for military students
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Historic boost for HBCU schools
North Carolina lawmakers’ latest budget allocates hundreds of millions of dollars for the state’s five public historically Black colleges and universities. Those are historic levels of funding, administrators say, but the money is just the first step toward keeping HBCUs afloat and equitable as they generate some of the state’s most notable alumni. What else can HBCUs do to provide opportunities for students?
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Just west of Fayetteville sits the sprawling Fort Bragg U.S. Army Garrison, the world’s largest military base and home to more than 54,000 active-duty service members and nearly 70,000 of their family members.
Nine miles down the road, Fayetteville State University, a historically Black university, is committed to educating those troops, veterans and families at no cost to the students.
FSU’s new Military Tuition Scholarship will make a college degree more affordable and accessible by offering free tuition to military-connected undergraduate students beginning in Fall 2022.
Desiree Bliss, a 19-year-old sophomore from Georgia, wasn’t sure if she’d be able to attend college because of the price. She sought out Fayetteville State because it was an HBCU and offered a forensic science program and a Reserve Officer Training Corps program.
“This could take some of the burden off,” Bliss said.
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Bliss has taken out more than $8,000 in student loans, but earned a scholarship through the ROTC program this school year and is looking forward to the lower cost of tuition as FSU joins the NC Promise program. She isn’t sure if she’ll be able to apply for this scholarship but knows FSU covering tuition will help a lot of her fellow cadets and future students.
To qualify, prospective students must be active-duty service members, members of the National Guard or reserves, veterans with an honorable discharge or military spouses or children. They must also meet FSU’s admissions requirements, including a 2.5 GPA or higher from an accredited university or high school.
The university will work with students to pay for tuition and fees through Veterans Affairs educational benefits or U.S. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance. FSU will cover any remaining tuition costs up to $500 for in-state students and $2,500 for out-of-state students per semester.
“FSU is perfectly positioned here in the Sandhills region to change the landscape on how we think about workforce readiness in today’s ever-changing job market and how we, in higher education, can support veterans and their families in their transitions to the civilian workforce,” Chancellor Darrell Allison said in a statement.
The scholarship is one of the school’s assets that keep it poised as a premier destination for military-affiliated students among HBCUs nationwide and its peers in the UNC System.
Fayetteville State leads the system with nearly 30% of its student body tied to the military. And the university is working to increase that enrollment.
FSU is the No. 1 four-year HBCU nationwide for enrolling military-connected students and was recognized for its academic outcomes and programs, according to a recent report titled “Deeds, Not Words: FSU’s Call to Serve.” The university placed in the top 3% for return on investment and enrolls the largest number of GI Bill students among HBCUs, according to the report.
“Military veterans are diverse professionals who have unique skills and experiences, making them invaluable contributors to any organization or community,” Col. Scott Pence, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander, said in a statement.
The academic programs and financial aid FSU offers allow service members and their families to successfully complete a degree or certification on their own terms, Pence said.
Fayetteville State offers a cybersecurity academy aimed at student veterans who can get industry-recognized certifications through its Center for Defense and Homeland Security.
The university commissioned the report, by veteran-owned marketing and consulting firm Evocati, shortly after Allison took the reins as chancellor in 2021.
In an interview, Allison said he wanted to solidify the relationship between the university and Fort Bragg beyond its geographical proximity.
“We’re not a military school, per se,” Allison said.
But FSU intends to lead the UNC System in educating veterans and military-affiliated students, he said.
“I like to say: ‘If Uncle Sam wants you, so does FSU.”
This story was originally published March 9, 2022 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Fayetteville State works to make college affordable and attainable for military students."
