Mia Magnan | Staff Writer | mmagnan2@mail.smcvt.edu
In the fall of 2025, St Michael’s is implementing a new scholarship. The Community Commitment scholarship is made to help students pay for their education and release the financial burden that comes with college.
“For us, this is about more than offering ‘free tuition.’ This is about ensuring students who would thrive at St. Michael’s have the opportunity to do so – and to make sure our current community members continue to have access to the world-class education we offer as well,” said Brigid Lawler, St Michael’s College vice president for Enrollment Management.
The scholarship will give families whose income falls at or below $100,000 a total aid package that will cover full tuition after federal grants. Students’ eligibility for the scholarship will be through FAFSA, with a minimum threshold of $150,000, if your family has assets that exceed that. For current students, to receive the full benefit of the Community Commitment scholarship, they are required to live on campus, along with maintaining a 3.2 GPA, to continue to be eligible for the scholarship.
Other colleges and universities are picking up on this trend as well. For example, St. Anselm College in New Hampshire and McMurry University in Texas are also offering Community Commitment Scholarships. Each of these schools has different parameters that students are required to meet. St. Anselm also has a requirement of a 3.2 GPA, however, students must be New Hampshire residents. McMurry University will offer students 50% of tuition cost through scholarship as long as students maintain a 2.0 GPA and they do not require completion of FAFSA. It is likely that more colleges and universities will offer Community Commitment Scholarships to provide equitable opportunities to students.
The Community Commitment scholarship at St. Michael’s is part of an initiative seeking to increase transparency and equity, ensuring families know their financial commitment. International and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students, however, are ineligible due to the FAFSA requirements resulting from undocumented students and the complication of student visas. The scholarship does not require a separate application; however, students must complete the FAFSA to be considered.
“We wanted to be equitable, we wanted to be transparent. So we thought, let’s get everybody up to that dollar amount,” said Greg Davis, executive director of Student Financial Services. Many students seek out St. Michael’s as a prospective college. The issue, however, is they are deterred and discouraged due to their financial restraints. St. Michael’s responsive approach will now allow current and future students the opportunity to pursue the education and institution of their choosing.