Somerset county hoping to get funds for student scholarships

In June, Wicomico County passed their Economic Impact Scholarship for new high school graduates. If county students qualify, they can attend Wor-Wic Community College for free. Now Somerset is proposing the same for their county residents.

Wor-Wic Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services, Bryan Newton, says the idea for the scholarship was brought up and passed by the Wicomico county commissioners and the same process has to be done for Worcester and Somerset.

 “Dr. Hoy was recently in Somerset County to put a proposal before the county commissioners and there was a 5-0 vote there to approve this idea,” explains Newton.

The next step is to find the funding for the scholarships. Currently, Wicomico is funding theirs through county dollars, but Somerset has to find other means to fund it. That’s where State Senator Jim Mathias comes into the equation.  

“Somerset has a different set of dynamics that perhaps Worcester has or Wicomico has but that’s what we do were able to work through this and work out what the commissioners are willing to under right, what they need and that gap funding and that’s when we go to work,” says Senator Mathias.  

Mathias believes these scholarships are an investment in the counties futures. It allows students to continue their education without any student debt.

Mathias tells 47 ABC, “We brought it home to Wicomico and it appears were right on the cusp of bringing it home to Somerset and as Dr. Hoy works and brings this program to Worcester.”

Newton says Worcester County commissioners have not made the decision to pursue the scholarship yet. Meanwhile Senator Mathias is meeting with colleagues to help Somerset County find funding.