Nurses, police officers, farm workers, and grocery store clerks – all are people considered “essential workers” during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and all now qualify for free community college under a program announced Thursday by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
“Over the past six months Michiganders across the state have put their lives on the line every single day to protect others from this deadly virus,” she said during a press conference. “It’s a lot more important that we act and treat them as the heroes they are and not just call them heroes.”
The program, called Futures for Frontliners, is funded by $24 million allocated to the governor by the CARES Act.
In order to qualify, a person must:
- live in Michigan
- have been required to work at least part time for 11 weeks between April 1 and June 30
- not already have a degree
- not have defaulted on a federal student loan
- be considered a “frontline worker“
You can read more about the program here.
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