$1,000,000 in Scholarships for FGCU Students
Earn to Learn FL™ Announces $1,000,000 in Scholarships for FGCU Students
Partnership with FGCU Foundation and Florida Prepaid College Foundation to Celebrate FGCU’s 25th Anniversary
Fort Myers, FL (March 31, 2022) - Earn to Learn FL (ETLFL), a 501(c)3 nonprofit who envisions a world without barriers to higher education, announces partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Florida Prepaid College Foundation to celebrate FGCU’s 25th Anniversary. The celebration will culminate in $1,000,000 Earn to Learn FL Matched Savings for Education Scholarships for FGCU students.
In partnership with FGCU Foundation, ETLFL will raise the funds to purchase Florida Prepaid College Foundation one-year scholarships for FGCU students. In turn, Florida Prepaid College Foundation will match the generosity of Southwest Florida dollar for dollar to leverage the community’s investment of $500,000 into $1,000,000 for scholarships to be awarded to deserving students who will attend FGCU.
Angelo Serrano is an ETLFL scholarship recipient who will graduate from FGCU this spring. “ETLFL’s innovative approach ensures that students are financially prepared for college,” said Serrano. “I couldn’t have gotten through college without all of tools they provide.”
“Approximately 1.4 million of Florida’s working-age adults have earned some college credit but never completed with a credential, often incurred student loan debt, and remained unemployable,” said Brenda Tate, CEO of Earn to Learn FL. “We empower income challenged students in Florida to earn college degrees and professional certifications with little or no debt. We do this through matched savings scholarships, personal finance training, and peer coaching. It’s a formula for student success that works.”
“Florida Prepaid College Foundation offers opportunities to change the lives of deserving Florida students through scholarship programs,” said Cynthia F. O’Connell, Director of the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. “The majority of our programs double the value of scholarship funds by receiving a dollar-for-dollar match from the Foundation, allowing organizations like Earn to Learn FL to have a greater impact on the community.”
“Florida Gulf Coast University is pleased to partner with Earn to Learn FL on this important initiative. Earn to Learn FL is committed to student success, and that is also one of the five pillars of FGCU’s strategic plan,” said Dr. Michael Martin, president of Florida Gulf Coast University. “We have made significant strides over the past five years, and our partnership with Earn to Learn FL means more students will graduate with little or no debt and will enhance the workforce and economic well-being of our state.”
For more information, please visit EarntoLearnFL.org or email Brenda Tate at [email protected].
About Earn to Learn FL
Earn to Learn FL (ETLFL), formed in 2011, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to empower income challenged students to successfully complete college.
ETLFL has developed based on three core tenets:
- Matched Savings for Education: Students and their families who income-qualify are eligible to deposit up to $500 into an ETLFL savings account each year. Their savings are then matched 8:1 by ETLFL. This brings the combined available funds for financial assistance paid directly to an academic institution up to $4,500 per academic year. The funds are used for tuition, books, fees and other approved educational related expenses.
- Near Peer Coaching for Postsecondary Success: ETLFL trains and deploys AmeriCorps members to coach income challenged students in the areas of postsecondary access, personal finance training, and career planning. Coaches support student preparation and success strategies to successfully pursue their higher education.
- Personal Finance Training: ETLFL provides a dynamic online personal finance training program designed to produce measurable and meaningful outcomes for students and coaches.