DACC’s Pilot “Provost’s Promise” Looking to Give the Middle Class a Bridge to Paid Tuition and Fees

 (ABOVE) Danville Area Community College president Dr. Stephen Nacco explains concept of “Provost’s Promise” to DACC Board of Trustees.

The Danville Area Community College Board of Trustees has approved a proposal to initiate a Provost’s Promise pilot program, starting with the 2024 fall semester.  The initiative for this program, as well as the overseeing of it, comes from DACC Provost Dr. Carl Bridges.

As President Dr. Stephen Nacco explained at the start of Thursday (March 28th) evening’s Board meeting, the goal is to move one step closer to students actually having access to fully paid college education.  Dr. Nacco says that while some students, for example, may come from a family that makes too much for federal or state assistance; a package like this to cover their tuition and fees can help bridge the gap for the middle class.

AUDIO: If you come to DACC, and you want to be a Provost’s Promise Scholar, you’re going to be on a pipeline to graduate in two years with no expenses.  There will also be provisions for books to be pair through the foundation.

Decarlo Flagg, Jr received a departing gift marking the end of his year at Student Trustee on the DACC Board of Trustees.

Students interested in applying will need to be first time, full time students, will need to declare a major; and as Dr. Nacco mentioned, need to be on target for graduating in two years.  Dr. Nacco says it’s the DACC Foundation, and those who support it, who need to be thanked for this opportunity.  He says it’s a chance to actually offer free college education, which Governor Pritzker mentioned when he was on campus last year for the dedication of the tree in memory of Senator Scott Bennett.  But it’s also a matter of doing it, Dr. Nacco says, the right way.

AUDIO: To think that government subsidies could do a promise program for free tuition really was never a tenable formula for it.  Danville, and DACC and Vermilion County, can do it; because of an amazingly robust endowment, and the generosity of the people here who have given scholarship money for all of our scholarships.  

The plan calls for interested incoming DACC students to be able to sign up for the Provost’s Promise Scholar program starting April 15th.  Just to go the website at https://dacc.edu/ or call the admissions office at 217-443-8800.