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.