WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
MT VERNON – Knox County Foundation announced its intention to extend funding of
Knox Promise—a three-year trial program launched in 2022 that guarantees free
college at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) to qualifying residents of Knox
County. KCF has approved funding for the program into the 2025-2026 academic year
and is seeking donors interested in growing the program to impact more Knox County
residents.
“Knox Promise is sometimes called a ‘last dollars scholarship’ because it funds the gap
between what’s been covered by a student’s scholarships and grants and whatever
remains of their tuition,” Jeff Scott, Executive Director of KCF, said. “This program is a
perfect reflection of KCF’s priorities—community helping community. When local
funding helps students earn college degrees, and in turn they get better paying jobs, it’s
a huge benefit to the community.”
The Knox Promise has made college education a reality for 164 Knox County students
since the program launched in 2022. In its first three years, Knox Promise awarded
$79,003.85 in “last dollars scholarships.”
How Knox Promise Works:
● Under the program, all tuition will be covered for students annually reporting a
household income of $60,000 or less on the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA).
● The Knox Promise is open to new, current or returning COTC students who do
not already hold a bachelor’s or associate degree.
● Eligible students must be current Knox County residents who have lived in the
county for at least one year.
● Recipients must be enrolled in an aid-eligible COTC degree or certificate
program at any COTC campus or online. The program is available to both full
and part-time students studying on campus or remotely.
“More people are eligible for scholarships and grants than they realize,” David Brillhart,
Chief Financial Officer for COTC, said. “We tried to make the program easy and to get a
very simple message out there: Free College. We wanted people who don’t believe they
can afford college to think, ‘Hey, I could do that!’ This wonderful program makes college
accessible to anyone who qualifies.”
Student letters attest to the program’s impact:
“I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for being selected as a Knox
Promise Student at Central Ohio Technical College. It is with great honor and
appreciation that I accept this generous scholarship. Upon completion of my
degree, I aspire to take the NCLEX and become employed at a nearby hospital
and start working on my bachelor’s degree, ultimately working my way toward
becoming a nurse anesthetist. This scholarship will undoubtedly play a pivotal
role in enabling me to fulfill my aspirations and make a positive impact in my
community and beyond.” ~N.S.
“I want to thank you for choosing me as a Knox Promise Student. I am a single
mother of a 3-year-old. I am looking forward to following my dreams in pursuing a
degree in criminal justice, focusing on juvenile probation. This scholarship will
help me tremendously! It’s just one less thing I must worry about and can
continue to focus on my education and my family. So, thank you again for
choosing me to be a Knox Promise Student!” ~M.H.
“I am attending COTC to get my license in LPN. I have two girls who look up to
their momma, and I want a better life for them and myself. This scholarship is
going to help my career grow. I want to thank you for this fantastic gift!” ~C.F.
“Since the program’s inception, half of the Knox County students at COTC were eligible
under the financial criteria, and 100 percent of them received funding,” Brillhart said.
“The process is simple: students simply enroll in COTC and complete their FAFSA.
Every student’s application is scanned for eligibility, and if they qualify, they
automatically receive an email that says ‘Congratulations! You are a Knox Promise
Scholar, and your tuition is covered.’”
Knox County Foundation partners with community donors to fund the Knox Promise
program.
“We’re always interested in talking to community-minded people who want to be part of
the good work that’s happening in Knox County,” Scott said. “In order to sustain this
program, we will need additional funding partners. Our hope is that others will want to
be part of this effort.” He added that interested individuals can contact him directly.
“There’s something special about Knox County,” Brillhart said. “When we announced
that we were opening a campus in Mt. Vernon, the community came together and
helped us find a property, and then raised $5 million to renovate it. This doesn’t happen
everywhere! It just demonstrates the generosity of this community, and the way donors
support projects that benefit others.”
“Knox Promise is having a generational impact on our community,” Brillhart added.
“We’ve seen it, people moving out of poverty when they’ve completed their degrees.
We’re thrilled that, with Knox County Foundation, we can continue to help people
achieve the dream of getting an education and bettering their lives.”
For more information on the KCF’s partnership with donors, collaboration with nonprofit
organizations or strategic initiatives, please visit www.knoxcf.org or call 740-392-3270.
Knox County Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Knox County
through charitable giving.
