Dalton State gets grant for Hispanic students

In an area with a swelling Hispanic population and one of the state's highest unemployment rates, officials with Dalton State College said they are working hard to make sure Hispanic college students in North Georgia don't fall through the cracks.

And a new $500,000 grant from the Atlanta-based Goizueta Foundation will help Dalton State aid Hispanic students who can't pay to finish their college degree. The college has an enrollment that's nearly 12 percent Hispanic.

"I think a large portion (of Hispanic students) struggle with going to college," said Dalton State President John Schwenn. "With more students than ever seeking financial aid to attend classes, these new Hispanic Achievement Scholarships open the door for more students to attend Dalton State and pursue their career goals."

Fifty scholarships will be offered using the Goizueta Foundation grant each year, but more than 300 students enrolled at Dalton State would qualify, said Jodi Johnson, vice president of enrollment and student services at the college.

To be eligible, students must have taken 30 college credit hours and have between a 2.0 and 2.9 college grade-point average.

The scholarship, which covers 75 percent of tuition and fees and provides $300 for books each year, can be renewed for three years as long as the student sustains at least a 2.0 GPA and is enrolled in school full time.

Students do not have to be Georgia residents or U.S. citizens to receive the scholarship, she said.

"The way the grant is set up, it does not address U.S. residency," said Dr. Johnson. "The wording of the grant allows us to pay both in-state and out-of-state tuition for students. An illegal student would have to pay out-of-state tuition."

Many undocumented Hispanic students don't have access to federal and state grants and would be charged out-of-state tuition of $4,199 per semester for attendance, making it nearly impossible for these students to afford college enrollment.

On the other hand, more than half of Hispanic students who enter Dalton State without residency issues lose their state lottery HOPE scholarship. Many Hispanic families, hit hard by the recession and the area's mass layoffs, cannot afford to make up for lost HOPE dollars, said Dr. Johnson.

"When you see that half of our students lose their HOPE scholarship, and this area of the state has some of the highest unemployment, combine those things, it is one of our most immediate needs to help these Hispanic students," said Dr. Johnson.

Students say the new scholarship will give hope to families affected by Dalton's economic downturn.

"There are lot of students that have been unable to pay for tuition or even make it to school," said Marisa Cardenas, a 20-year-old nursing student who would qualify to receive a scholarship. "A lot of families have lost their jobs because of the carpet industry and that has definitely, definitely hurt a lot of students.

"To know you don't have that huge debt of student loans or a lot of money on a credit card, it relieves a lot of stress and helps you reach your goals," she said.