Forsyth Tech Community College is making a commitment to recent North Carolina high school graduates.

The college recently announced the new Class of 2021 College Commitment. The program offers free tuition, books, and fees to any 2021 North Carolina high school graduate for the 2021-2022 academic year no matter their background, financial status or any other special criteria.

“At Forsyth Tech, free means free – we are not offering free college with stipulations. When we say any 2021 high school graduate, we mean anyone who graduates from any high school, including home schools, in North Carolina,” Forsyth Tech President Janet Spriggs told a crowd of nearly 200 recent high school graduates and their families on June 30.

Several leaders joined the announcement panel, including Gov. Roy Cooper, who delivered virtual remarks to the crowd say, “Thanks to the great leaders here at Forsyth Tech, and the combined use of state, federal and local funds, high school graduates who choose Forsyth Tech as their academic home for the next year or two will be able to attend for free.”

Cooper’s North Carolina Longleaf Commitment Grant will be a large portion of the funds used for this commitment. Additional state and federal funds will be combined with private donations for the College Commitment initiative.

The college is currently seeking support to continue and sustain this kind of program beyond the upcoming academic year.

“It’s certainly not every day that you hear a college creating a bold program together for students in a public-private partnership,” said Paul Wiles, vice-chair of Forsyth Tech’s board of trustees.

“As a parent myself, I can only imagine the excitement that other parents might be feeling as they learn about this transformational chance for their graduating senior to get their first year of college for free, right here in our community,” Wiles added.