Lehigh Times

Last week, members of the Wolf Administration met with members of the Reading Area Community College (RACC) community where they discussed Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed $200 million Nellie Bly scholarship program that would help Pennsylvania students in certain fields with free or affordable education.

According to a release by Wolf’s office, the proposed program would give scholarships to students going to community college or a PA State System of Higher Education institution in an effort to assist students financially as well as boost the state’s economy. The main focus is for students going to school to become teachers, mental health counselors, school nurses and psychologists. Students who benefit from the scholarship would be required to live and work in Pennsylvania for the same number of years they received the scholarship funds. They could also opt to pay off the scholarship through a low-interest loan.

“Pennsylvania students are already forced to take on outrageous amounts of debt to get a college degree,” Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty said. “This scholarship program will help make college a little bit more affordable for Pennsylvanians. And it will help put our entire commonwealth on the path to a better future.”

The program would be funded through American Rescue Plan Act and the Race Horse Development Trust Fund. Pennsylvania students who are studying healthcare, education and public services are the priority for the scholarship.

“The Nellie Bly Scholarship Program is of special importance to those students in Berks County, as it will help build strong, successful lives in their communities, rather than leave them struggling to pay student loan bills, often working two to three jobs to make ends meet for themselves and their families,” RACC President Dr. Susan Looney said.

The Nellie Bly proposal is also meant to remove barriers to affordable education and stabilize the Pennsylvania workforce. State Rep. Manuel Guzman (D-Reading) touted the proposed program, as well.

“For far too many Pennsylvania students, aspiring to attain a postsecondary education means being anchored down by a heap of student loan debt,” said Guzman. “The Nellie Bly proposal aims to alleviate this financial burden and encourage those to pursue their dream careers, while simultaneously ensuring the vitality of Pennsylvania’s workforce. This would be a win-win scenario for our students, workforce, and institutions of higher education.”

State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) praised the Nellie Bly program, saying that there are students in the state that struggle financially while in school. This leads to them trying to pick up other jobs, lessening their extracurricular activities or not completing their studies altogether. Schwank said that this is unacceptable.

“Under no circumstance should one’s educational ambitions be deterred simply by the price of tuition,” said Schwank. “The Nellie Bly Scholarship Program would make a big investment in Pennsylvania’s students and demonstrate that we believe in our state system schools. It’s truly a worthwhile investment in the commonwealth’s future leaders.”