Granite Edvance scholarship helps 20-plus MCC freshmen enroll full time

A new $25,000 scholarship from Granite Edvance, Manchester Community College and the Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges helped more than 20 recent New Hampshire high school graduates start full-time at MCC this fall. The program is aimed at lowering financial barriers for students taking 12 or more credits in their first semester.

Why it matters: - Full-time enrollment is linked to higher graduation rates, and Manchester Community College is using new scholarship aid to push more students into that pathway. - The program is aimed at students who can handle 12 or more credits but might otherwise scale back because of cost. - Scholarships worth $750 each can cover about one college course, which can make the difference between part-time and full-time attendance.

What happened: - Granite Edvance funded a $25,000 scholarship initiative with Manchester Community College and the Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges. - More than 20 recent New Hampshire high school graduates enrolled full-time at MCC this fall through the new scholarship. - The scholarships were awarded to students recommended by area high schools. - Selection was based on financial need, academic standing and intent to enroll at MCC. - Students received the awards at high school ceremonies in May and June.

The details: - The scholarship requires students to take 12 or more credits in their first semester. - MCC President Paul Beaudin tied the effort to research showing full-time students are more likely to graduate within three years. - MCC launched the Momentum Scholarship program last spring. - The Momentum Scholarship program was created in response to research showing full-time students are more likely to stay enrolled and complete their degrees. - Additional scholarships for students already enrolled at MCC came from separate donations. - Rowan Hebert, a Trinity High School graduate studying electrical technology at MCC, said receiving the scholarship was “a surprise and a great honor.” - Deborah Mejia-Sorto, a Manchester High School West graduate studying liberal arts and pre-nursing at MCC, said the scholarship made college more affordable and helped her focus on nursing.

Between the lines: - Granite Edvance is reinforcing its college-access strategy by backing a local scholarship designed to improve persistence and completion, not just enrollment. - MCC is using targeted aid to shape student course loads early, when financial pressure can most easily push students to attend part time. - The structure suggests a broader effort to align scholarships with outcomes like retention, degree completion and career readiness. - Granite Edvance President and CEO Christiana Thornton framed the awards as a way to reduce financial pressure so students can pursue a degree or credential with more confidence.

What's next: - MCC’s Momentum Scholarship program is likely to remain a tool for drawing more first-time students into full-time study. - The school may continue pairing donor support with enrollment and completion goals for both new and continuing students. - Granite Edvance said its broader mission remains focused on college access and student success through counseling, resources and financial assistance. - Granite Edvance offers more information through its website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.

The bottom line: - A relatively small scholarship pool is being used to nudge more first-year MCC students into the full-time track that research says improves graduation odds.