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ACE program presentation: New River Community College outlines tuition access and community service impact
Summary
New River Community College updated council on ACE (Access to Community College Education): eligibility rules, 37 enrolled Radford students for the coming fall, tuition estimates, local contributions and nearly 19,840 volunteer service hours returned to Radford since the program began.
Angie Covey of New River Community College presented an overview of the ACE program (Access to Community College Education), which offers two years of tuition coverage at New River for eligible high school seniors across the New River Valley. Covey said ACE covers tuition only; students must complete the federal financial aid application and are responsible for textbooks. The program requires community-service work (80 hours per year per student; Giles County has a 100-hour requirement).
Covey said 37 students are enrolled this fall under ACE from Radford City; she noted additional Radford students attend New River outside of that ACE headcount when federal aid covers tuition. Since Radford joined the program in 2017, Covey reported 117 degrees, diplomas or certificates awarded to Radford City students and an estimated 19,840 hours of community service contributed back to the city as of this summer. She also said Radford City provides roughly $25,000 per semester in support and that the college estimates tuition for the cohort this fall will be about $43,000 (total for the group as described by Covey). An anonymous $100,000 gift to the program was also cited as supporting fundraising efforts.
Council members asked questions about donor procedures and participation rates; staff pointed attendees to the college website for donation links. Council members praised the program for workforce development and asked staff to continue outreach to potential donors.
