Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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October 01, 2020
WHEREAS, according to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, 70 percent of all jobs in Michigan will require some postsecondary education or training beyond high school by 2020, and only 30 percent of Michigan jobs will be available to those with a high school diploma or less; and,
WHEREAS, the Michigan College Access Network uses the term “college” to refer to the attainment of valuable certificates and academic degrees beyond high school; and,
WHEREAS, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the only way to access federal grants and loans that can be instrumental in helping students pay for college, is available beginning October 1; and,
WHEREAS, Michigan College Month provides dedicated time and space during the school day, whether in-person or virtually, to ensure all high school seniors have the opportunity to apply to college and file the FAFSA form with support from the Michigan College Access Network, Local College Access Networks, school counselors, college advisors, and community members; and,
WHEREAS, during the month of October, all Michigan colleges and universities will accept the National Association for College Admission Counseling application fee waiver for those students who have demonstrated financial need in order to ensure no student is deprived of the opportunity to pursue admission to the institution of their choice due to financial hardship; and,
WHEREAS, improved higher educational attainment in our state is one of my priorities, and I have set a goal that 60% of working-age adults in Michigan will have a skills certificate or college degree by 2030; and,
WHEREAS, to help every Michigander reach their full potential, I have proposed the MI Opportunity Scholarship and the Michigan Reconnect program, and have launched the Futures for Frontliners program, a state scholarship program which provides tuition-free access to local community colleges to Michiganders without college degrees who worked in essential industries during the state COVID-19 shutdown;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim October 2020 as College Month in Michigan.