Giving students a financial fresh start

By Dawn Hibbard

Michigan’s Mott Community College (MCC) has launched the Fresh Start Program to help students who have outstanding account balances that prevent registration for future semesters to re-enroll in MCC and continue their educational goals.

“This is your time to move forward if you have a previous balance that is preventing you from continuing your education,” said Jason Wilson, vice president for student academic success, in a press release. “We are pleased to be able to help eligible students with a fresh start and an opportunity to pursue their academic goals,” he added.

Any MCC student who has an outstanding balance on their student account resulting from enrollment in any semesters from fall 2017 through spring 2021 is eligible for Financial Fresh Start.

The student’s outstanding balance will be forgiven with no further financial obligation. However, the student is responsible for full payment through financial aid or payments to the college for all tuition and fees incurred for their re-enrollment in classes for all future semesters at the college.

If a student’s account was sent to collections, the college has recalled all eligible students’ accounts from the collection agency and no further action will be taken against the student by the collection agency.

To help eligible students register for classes, MCC’s financial aid staff has placed a special code on each student’s account that will allow them to register and re-enroll with the college while the work to forgive each individual student’s account in the records system is underway.

Is your college doing something similar? Sound off at LinkedIn.

Dawn Hibbard

is a communications specialist with Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan.