North Carolina’s Community College System is launching a new program called Boost aimed at preparing students for high-wage, in-demand careers.
Forsyth Technical Community College is one of eight schools implementing Boost this year.
Officials want to recruit a cohort of 150 students pursuing fields like healthcare, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing, which are important to the state’s economy.
Their tuition and fees will be covered. Plus, they’ll get $600 a year for books and other expenses, as well as $80 a month to meet with their cohort’s advisor.
Forsyth Tech's Boost Director Carmen Canty-Johnson spoke about the new program at a press conference on Tuesday.
“We are educating people who are in our community," she said. "And we're doing so in a way that is going to ensure that not only are they equipped with the academic knowledge, they are learning the life skills and they are feeling valued as a person here at Forsyth Tech.”
Boost is modeled after an initiative developed by City University of New York that’s been shown to double graduation rates.
The statewide Boost Program Director, Nicole Ditillo, said North Carolina has tailored that model to meet the state's unique needs.
"It's not just about degrees. It's about futures," Ditillo said. "It's about aligning student success with the economic development goals of our state."
Another seven colleges will begin implementing Boost in North Carolina next year.