Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist Speaks with Delta College Students

Michigan’s Lieutenant Governor visited Delta College on Thursday to talk with students who are receiving free tuition through the Michigan Reconnect Program.

The program offers tuition grants for students aged 25 or older who are working toward an associates or other skilled trade certification. Gilchrist took the opportunity to hear from students about how Michigan Reconnect has affected them.

“So many of them talked about, you know, ‘I wouldn’t have been able to go back to school without this scholarship.’ ‘I wouldn’t have been able to change my career without this scholarship.’ ‘I wouldn’t be able to support my family without this scholarship,'” said Gilchrist. “That is why we do it. It’s about making sure we can create the conditions for more people to see a pathway to a success for them, to improve their quality of life…”

In the 2021 fiscal year, Michigan Reconnect distributed over $14 million dollars in grants to Michigan Students.  Nearly $889,000 of  that went to students at Delta.

The Lieutenant Governor spoke of plans by the administration to lower the age requirement for the program to 21 years and older, expanding access to free tuition.