A new initiative will allow all students enrolled or enrolling in classes beginning at Texarkana College to attend at no cost.
Dr. Jason Smith, president of Texarkana College, announced the Texarkana College Promise scholarship program Thursday at a press conference in the Palmer Memorial Library.
“It’s an initiative, rooted in access, affordability and a deep commitment to our students and our community,” Smith said. “The Texarkana Promise Scholarship will hopefully send a clear and powerful message that college is possible, it is affordable, and it is within reach to every student. It removes the financial barriers that often prevent students from taking that first step to higher education.”
The TC Promise scholarship will fully cover tuition costs for all TC students after all other financial aid is applied. It is available to dual-credit high school students as well as associate degree and vocational training seeking students.
”What we’re trying to target is those middle income families who are just on the cusp of they don’t qualify for any kind of financial aid. But they don’t make enough where they just got money to spend,” Smith added.
The initiative is expected to increase enrollment in both dual-credit and college enrollment.
”Our region doesn’t really have a strong college-going culture, and hopefully this scholarship will help change that so that more and more people realize that college is for everyone,” said Dr. Dixon Boyles, vice president of instruction at TC.
”If we look at full time in college … we’re not sure how many that’s going to be in the first year, but we expect it could grow up to 300 to 350 students,” added Smith. “At the high school level for dual credit … we’re already at over 2,000 students in the program. Many of them are in our work programs. In our dual-credit program, we could pick up another 250 to 300 students.”
The scholarship program in conjunction with the Texas A&M University-Texarkana Commitment program will allow students to transition into TAMUT to earn a four-year degree at no cost.
”Not only will this program and partnership improve educational outcomes for students, it will also produce economic development gains for the entire region. It will yield greater numbers of educated and credentialed graduates to fulfill good jobs in burgeoning industries. It will help attract new investments and high paying positions across a number of career fields. Perhaps most notably, it will keep talent local,” said Dr. Ross Alexander, president of TAMUT.
The TC Promise scholarship program will be availarchaeological able for students beginning fall 2026.
The program is funded by a $1.3 million startup from the TC Foundation and the Texas Pioneers Foundation.
The scholarship program is an effort Smith said he and his team at TC have worked for more than two years to bring to fruition.
