High School Grads Seeking Tuition-Free Associate Degrees Must Pledge IRSC Promise by March 10

March 2, 2023 Suzanne Seldes

FORT PIERCE, FL— Students graduating from Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie County public or public charter high schools and eligible in-district homeschools who wish to earn their Associate degrees tuition-free from Indian River State College (IRSC) must make their formal commitment to the IRSC Promise program no later than Friday, March 10.

Promise Program Pledge Sign

High school seniors in the class of 2023 can learn more about the IRSC Promise and take the pledge at promise.irsc.edu.

Nearly 3,200, or nearly half, of anticipated area high school graduates have already pledged to begin their full-time studies at IRSC this fall through the IRSC Promise.

“The IRSC Promise program is changing the trajectory for our students, our families and our communities,” said IRSC Vice President for Student Success Beth Gaskin. “We encourage every student, whether they are looking to ultimately enter the workforce or continue to an advanced degree, to begin their educational foundation by studying tuition-free here at IRSC.”

The IRSC Promise program is not a grant or scholarship. It is a tuition-paid, last-dollar program sponsored by the IRSC Foundation and funded through generous donor philanthropy and unrestricted investment proceeds.

Promise candidates must graduate from an Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, or St. Lucie County public or charter high school in 2023 or be an in-district approved homeschool 2023 graduate; meet all Promise program deadlines; and be a U.S. citizen eligible for in-state tuition or a non-U.S. Citizen eligible for in-state tuition. Students do not need to demonstrate financial need, and there is no GPA requirement for acceptance to the program.

Fall 2023 marks the second year of the IRSC Promise. The first Promise cohort entered the College in the fall of 2022, achieving a dramatic increase in enrollment at IRSC, despite a continuing national enrollment decline. More stunning was the program’s impact on minority, first-generation and low-income populations.

“The IRSC Promise Program is a difference maker for so many in our community,” concludes Gaskin. “It truly activates IRSC’s mission to transform lives through high-quality, affordable and accessible education.”