Thu, March 28, 2024

Aiken Technical College celebrates its 50th anniversary

The average cost of tuition for four-year colleges in South Carolina is around $12,500, but Aiken Technical College’s tuition this fall may be free for eligible S.C. residents.

It’s part of the SC WINS scholarship program designed to address workforce shortages in the state. It supplements Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTAP) to help cover tuition and other fees left after applying for other scholarships and grants.

 Aiken Tech is in celebration mode for good reason. Offering free tuition, providing community service for United Way and other nonprofits, honoring former employees and alumni, and capping it off with a time capsule of artifacts to be opened in 25 years, it’s all part of honoring their 50 years in existence.

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For students wanting to enroll this fall, the celebration for them may start by not having to fork out the cash or going into debt to attend.

“This is an exciting time for the ACT and technical education across all of South Carolina and I’ve been involved in the technical college system for most of my life,” said Donna Elmore, ACT’s Interim Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.

ACT has an annual enrollment of 2,600 students in credit courses and another 1,600 in continuing education. Those numbers will likely continue to grow. There is an underlying shift in focus on the education front that’s been brewing for a few years. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, almost half of the students who enroll in a four-year college drop out while racking up some serious debt.

“Biology, psychology, and math drive enrollment here at Aiken Technical College,” Elmore said. “Plus, we offer pharmacy and dental two-year pre-requisites. We partner with USC Aiken and other 4-year colleges allowing students to transfer credits in 86 different courses for bachelor’s degree programs.”

Many of the careers offered at technical colleges provide strong salaries and growth potential, making them a worthwhile investment. Because they are, you’ll pay less for tuition and fees and, generally, have fewer textbooks to purchase.

ATC offers up-to-date equipment for a smooth transition from college to the workforce.

“The level of equipment we have on campus mirrors that of equipment in the workplace,” Elmore said. “It makes for a smooth transition for our graduates straight into jobs and earning a sustainable wage.”

It’s also advantageous that ACT recently received a Bank of America grant offering workplace training in IT and Cybersecurity.

“We are partnering with Savannah River Site contractors, TaxSlayer, and other companies to provide much-needed certifications for a student to pursue those fields. This training is becoming a critical area for most industries,” Elmore explained.

ACT’s campus will also be the site of a new career and technology center for the Aiken County School District made possible by the federal government’s $525 million plutonium settlement with the state.

“We are already looking at pilot programs to develop with some of those funds,” Elmore said. “We will be exploring what K-12 students from the ACSD want to do and address those desires.”

The settlement will also fund an $11.5 million nursing school for Aiken Technical College.

The future is bright for students at Aiken Tech.

“We are looking towards the future and preparing for endless possibilities,” Elmore added.

For more information on Aiken Technical College courses and free tuition requirements, visit the website at https://www.atc.edu/.

Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means! 

If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.

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