Washington State University has received a one-time grant from the Washington Student Achievement Council to support current Passport students for the 2018-2019 academic year.
Historically, the Passport to College Promise is a scholarship program designed to support students who have been released from the Washington state foster care system, having spent at least one year in care after age 16 and in care at age 17.5. The program was initiated in 2008.
Recently, upon the passing of Senate Bill no. 6274, the program is set to modify eligibility guidelines in order to reach out to a greater number of students that are in need of financial assistance. Beginning July 2018, qualification has extended from supporting primarily students in the Washington State foster care system to include students in state, tribal, or federal foster care systems in Washington State. In addition, the program has lowered the age eligibility requirement to support students who have been in foster care since age 15.
The program will continue to expand to be increasingly inclusive. In July 2019, the program is scheduled to increase support to homeless students along with students from out-of-state foster care systems, while the age requirement will be lowered to age 14. The age requirement will be lowered again to age 13 in July 2020.
Due to the changes in eligibility and program expansion, the population of Passport students on Washington State University’s campus, and in general, will be increasing. Thus, the grant will be utilized to employ a student Navigator position. The student Navigator will create recruitment materials for the WSU Admissions Office, the Native American Programs office, and area tribes that will be distributed to the newly eligible pool of Passport students for WSU. Furthermore, the student Navigator will assist in planning and executing retention events designed to enable a successful transition to college for the increasing population of Passport students.
For more information, contact Maria de Jesus Dixon, Assistant Director of the Academic Success and Career Center, mdj.dixon@wsu.edu, 509-335-6000.
By Jane Tang, Academic Success and Career Center
