Gov. Tom Wolf recently met with students and parents at Pennsbury High School in Bucks County to discuss a scholarship proposal that would help thousands of lower- and middle-class students attend Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities.
The $204 million Nellie Bly Scholarship Program was introduced during Wolf’s budget address. The program would allow students to graduate with less student loan debt by covering tuition and fees at PASSHE universities after Pell Grants and other state grants are applied.
“The student debt crisis is a burden on young people and their families that can last for years,” Wolf said. “It holds young people back from finishing their degree, buying a car or a home, and saving for retirement. The Nellie Bly Scholarship is an investment in young people so they can graduate, stay in Pennsylvania, and build rewarding careers and lives here.”
Students would be eligible for the program if they qualify for a federal subsidized student loan, are enrolled full-time in a PASSHE undergraduate program, and commit to living after graduation in Pennsylvania for the same number of years they received the scholarship.
Students must repay the money if they leave the state early.
“It’s also the perfect next step to strengthen our workforce after expanding apprenticeships and hands-on job training for those who don’t want to go to college,” Wolf said.