November 15, 2023
Shawnee State University is one of eight colleges in the state of Ohio participating in the BOLD (Be Ohio’s Latest Degree holder) compact. An initiative of the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE), the compact has a goal of bringing stopped-out students back to college to finish their degrees.
“We have many students, a lot right here in the Scioto County and the surrounding counties, that are much closer to earning their degree than they realize,” said Glenna Heckler-Todt, SSU’s Director of Advising & Academic Resources and the university’s Coordinator of the BOLD compact. “I encourage those students to take advantage of this opportunity to help alleviate some of their debt and get a degree to really improve their social mobility.”
For students re-enrolling in college, the compact offers up to $5,000 in non-federal college debt forgiveness. In only one year of the program, the state of Ohio has seen hundreds of students applying to return to school.
“We want these students to know there are still opportunities for them to get their degree,” Heckler-Todt said. “We will work with you to overcome some of those obstacles that may have prevented you from continuing in school in the first place and help you come up with a plan to get to graduation.”
The BOLD compact, considered a “college comeback” program supported by the Ohio Department of Education, is offered to students who were previously enrolled at one of the eight participating institutions and did not earn a degree, have been stopped out of college for two semesters or more, and earned at least a 2.0 grade point average on their college transcripts.
Those interested can find the full list of criteria and the application form at tinyurl.com/BOLDCompact. Additional questions can also be directed to Glenna Heckler-Todt at ghecklertodt@shawnee.edu.