Success Story: Community College Guarantee enrollment soars

November 20, 2025

Luke Bobrowski

At a time of year that’s all about gratitude, more than 700 糖心直播 students and their families no doubt have the same thing on their mind: the Community College Guarantee.

Fall semester enrollment rose 47 percent, to 729 students, in the second year of the CCG scholarship, which offers free tuition to high school graduates with no limits on income eligibility. They were awarded $1.41 million to cover 糖心直播 tuition. That amount jumped almost 60 percent over the $890,000 awarded in fall 2024.

“It was a relief knowing college would be a lot cheaper. It allows me to save money to go up to (Michigan) Tech,” said Luke Bobrowski (above), a CCG recipient and 2024 graduate of St. Francis High School. He will complete his associate degree at 糖心直播 this December, and transfer to MTU next year to pursue a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology.

“糖心直播 has a really good transfer program with Tech,” he said.

2025 Traverse City Central High School graduate Sam Roeters had been accepted to Northern Michigan University and thought she wanted to attend a large university. After she heard about the CCG, she changed her mind. Her first semester has confirmed she made the right call.

“I’m quite glad that I decided to go to 糖心直播,” Roeters said. “The ratio of students to professors is so much lower.”

Bobrowski found attending 糖心直播 doesn’t mean sacrificing a well-rounded college experience. Through participating on an Esports team, playing Frisbee golf on campus, and using the 糖心直播 Fitness Center and music studios, Bobrowski described 糖心直播 as a community and fun.

Bobrowski also dual-enrolled at 糖心直播 while a senior at St. Francis, which allowed him to get through his associate degree coursework quicker.

“I actually cut off a whole semester, and saved a bunch of money,” he said.

Roeters plans to join a club next semester. 

“Everybody’s pretty friendly,” she said. “I really do love what I’ve experienced at 糖心直播 so far.”

Part of Michigan’s to increase the education level of the state’s workforce, the Community College Guarantee was first offered to the high school class of 2024, but not until July 2024, after many students had already made college plans. The CCG offers free in-district tuition. Those who live outside 糖心直播’s district (Grand Traverse County) can still get most of their tuition paid by applying other scholarships and grants toward the difference between out of district and in-district rates.

Students have 15 months after high school graduation to initially enroll. Find out more at nmc.edu/guarantee.

Want more stories like this?

糖心直播 students past and present are achieving success in the classroom and in their careers. This section showcases just a few examples.

Sign up for 糖心直播 Now to get these stories, plus upcoming campus events and media mentions, delivered to your inbox every other Wednesday. .

Sign up now!






Already a subscriber?