'Wildly helpful:' Community-college students enjoy first semester of tuition-free classes

WEYERS CAVE – At 37 years of age, Raymond Owen has gone from being the teacher to being the student.

The Lexington resident had been teaching school for several years, but unlike many who enter that profession, he was not feeling a true passion for standing in the classroom anymore. An emergency medical services training class prompted a career change to the Lexington and Staunton fire departments, and eventually Owen wound up signing up for paramedic studies at Blue Ridge Community College.

Unbeknownst to Owen, however, was the fact that while at BRCC, he qualified for the "Get A Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead" [G3] program that provides tuition-free community college education for students who meet a certain criteria and are pursuing degrees in information technology, healthcare, public safety, early childhood education, and skilled trades, construction and manufacturing.

Owen's education was taken care of, much to his unexpected delight.

"I was surprised," Owen said, estimating his tab at around $1,500. "All of a sudden, the amount of my schooling was paid for. It was like, boom, it hit the account. I didn't ask any questions. I was just grateful."

Like Owen, Sarah King also is getting her education covered through the G3 program. Unlike Owen, though, King said she was made aware of the program by her college advisor.

"It took away all of the stress of going to school full-time and paying for it," said King, a 24-year-old part-time ophthalmology associate who lives in Elkton. She is majoring in nursing, and next year, she will have dual enrollment at BRCC and James Madison University as she pursues her associate and bachelor's degrees.

So how do I qualify?

The G3 program is designed to help community-college and two-year college students get on a fast track to getting a job in one of five select areas: information technology; healthcare; public safety; early childhood education, and skilled trades, construction and manufacturing. It pays for both degrees and certifications.

It was approved by the General Assembly earlier this year and signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam. The fall semester of 2021 is the first year of existence for the program.

"When you’re receiving G3 funding, you’re on a 'stackable' pathway, which means that most programs start with skills training that leads to a certificate that has immediate value in the job market," the G3 program website reads. "And because that certificate is part of an applied associate degree program, a working student can continue to 'stack' additional certificates on the pathway to an associate degree."

"It's a fantastic program," said Dr. Bob Young, vice president of instruction and student services at BRCC. Of the school's 2,500 students, Young said, about 200 of them are eligible for the G3 program.

"It's targeted to the areas we see the most need for," Young said. "If you qualify, you're almost guaranteed to get accept."

To be eligible for G3, students must have a total household income of less than or equal to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (for a family of four, that equals around $100,000); be carrying at least six credit hours; have a high school diploma or GED; be in one of the designated G3 study areas; and have applied for federal and/or state financial aid.

Basically, G3 serves as a companion to any other financial aid package a student might be receiving. For example, if the financial aid package is covering the first two-thirds of the student's tuition and fees, then G3 would pick up the remaining third.

The future of G3

Since the program passed the General Assembly earlier this year with broad bipartisan support, it is unlikely that next January's governor's mansion transition from Democratic to Republican control will affect it. Even if Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin was inclined to suggest any major changes to it, the chances of those changes advancing are not great.

A spokesperson for Youngkin declined comment on any plans related to the program.

Young, the BRCC vice president, said he is not worried about anything major happening to it. As a matter of fact, enrollment for the spring semester is ongoing, and G3 availability remains a viable option.

As for any increase in the number of G3-eligible students at BRCC in the spring semester, Young said, "We think they'll go up a little bit. It's still early in the process."

Owens, the BRCC student studying to be a paramedic, said he will qualify for G3 next semester also, and he sees it as an investment into what could be a prosperous career in that branch of the medical field.

"Paramedic is a very desirable certification right now," he said. "I think I could write my own ticket."

How about combining his previous career of teaching with his next career as a paramedic? Owens laughed at the thought, but was quick to add he is never saying never.

"I'll teach anybody who comes to me with the desire to learn," he said. "I'm very thankful for G3. It's been wildly helpful."

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is daily news coach for USA TODAY's Southeast Region-Unified Central, which includes Virginia, West Virginia and central North Carolina. He is based in Petersburg, Virginia. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com.