Karen Blackburn
Cook County Higher Education received a $60,000 grant from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation to support long-distance students living in Cook County for the 2020-2021 school year. The grant has two components: $30,000 in direct student tuition funding and $30,000 for the Student Support Coordinator position and student support services.
Cook County Higher Education (CCHE) has several scholarship funds that provide tuition grants for Cook County residents enrolled in post-secondary long-distance education – college classes, certificates, or licenses – but the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation’s fund is the largest. CCHE applies for the scholarship funds each year in April for the school year that begins in the fall.
Long-distance students want to continue their education, but often the cost and upheaval of moving to a community with a brick and mortar school is too daunting. As an alternative, they enroll in long-distance education programs. CCHE and the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation want to support their decision to remain in Cook County while pursuing their dream of higher education. To that end, the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation has granted $160,000 for tuition scholarships over the past five years and another $30,000 this year.
The tuition grants are administered by CCHE’s Scholarship committee, which is comprised of CCHE board members and interested community members. CCHE solicits tuition scholarship applications twice a year: once for fall semester and once for the spring semester. To help spread out the funding, approximately $15,000 in scholarships are allocated to each semester. In July 2020, twelve applications were received. All twelve applicants received tuition help through the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, Mike and Nancy Carlson, or Wes Hedstrom Scholarship funds. Nine students received Lloyd K. Johnson funding totaling $14,628.
These students are enrolled in schools and certification programs from Illinois to California, ranging from on-line certificates to private four-year colleges. The programs include cybersecurity, graphic communications, social work, clinical counseling, psychology, Associates degree courses, teaching, early childhood education and computer repair.
The second half of the scholarships will be distributed in December for the spring term. Residents interested in going back to school via long-distance education should consider applying in early November. Students do not need to have a prior relationship with CCHE to access the funds. The scholarship application reads, “Eligible applicants must live in Cook County and be enrolled in a degree, diploma or certificate program of at least 14 credits (total credits – not simultaneously). Maximum scholarship is $3,000 per semester (max $10,000 cumulative).”
The second component of the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation’s generous grant funds CCHE’s student services programming. At the Cook County Higher Education building, long-distance students have 24-hour access to computers, the Internet, study space and ITV equipment.
Higher Ed’s Student Support Coordinator, Lenna Stever, provides advocacy for any student who needs support. When students are on a physical campus, they can ask questions, get support and rely on college staff to help them navigate the system. Ms. Stever assists any post-secondary student in Cook County with program research, completing applications, course scheduling, filing for financial aid, on-line course orientation and proctoring exams. She connects any student – including high school students – with free mentor services and advocates for them when they encounter difficulties. All of these services are free to the student and supported by the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation’s grant. For more information about Cook County Higher Education services or scholarships, please contact Karen Blackburn, Executive Director at (218) 387-3411.
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