Students Can Finish Degrees Through New Initiative

East Central College is offering former students resources, incentives and a step-by-step guide to finish what they started and earn a college degree.

ECC’s Finish Your Investment (FYI) program is designed to guide students who’ve completed college credits at East Central College to help them complete a degree.

Eligible students who enroll in classes at ECC could be provided financial aid assistance, loan/debt forgiveness and specialized advising.

The College is also providing employment and salary information to potential students, including the average salary of a worker between the ages of 25-29 with a high school diploma, $29,300; compared to the salary of a worker with an associate’s degree, $35,400; and workers with a bachelor’s degree, $46,000.

ECC is reaching out to students to inform them that they could be eligible to participate in the FYI program.

ECC’s degree reclamation program is part of a nationwide initiative of the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP).

Colleges and universities in 20 states are also part of a nationwide reclamation initiative called Degrees When Due.

According to Robyn Walter, ECC vice president of academic affairs, data show that there are 36 million Americans with some college credits, but no degree; and Missouri has around 76,000 residents with some college but no degree.

“Our goal through Finish Your Investment is to help these students identify their barriers to college completion and support them through degree completion,” Walter said.

The national degree reclamation effort is sponsored by the Institute of Higher Education Policy and supported by the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

For more information about the Finish Your Investment initiative, visit www.eastcentral.edu/fyi/.

Returning students who need help with financial aid, loan/debt forgiveness and specialized advising can contact Melanie Dixon at 636-584-6554 or Melanie.Dixon@eastcentral.edu.