CFCAN Members Partner to Deliver Scholarships to Local DREAMers

Do you know an undocumented student or DACAmented student who wants to go to college?

Hope CommUnity Center and Seminole State College, both members of the Central Florida College Access Network, have a long-standing relationship. In 2012, Seminole State College began supporting undocumented students by covering tuition costs for a number of DACA students from Hope CommUnity Center. This scholarship cohort was expanded in 2014, and again in 2016. DREAMer students selected to receive this scholarship represent the goals, potential, and persistence of the next generation of Americans. Hope CommUnity Center welcomes students who want to study, but who also embrace cultural diversity, spiritual growth, and the fight for social justice. 

You can find more information about locally-awarded scholarships in Central Florida here.

Central Florida CAN's Common FAFSA Myths featured in WUCF video

There is over $150 billion in federal financial aid available each year to pay for college or career schools, but students have to fill out the FAFSA to get it. However, many students fail to complete the form because of common misconceptions about eligibility criteria.

Check out this new video from WUCF’s American Graduate initiative that features Central Florida College Access Network’s Top 10 FAFSA Myths! Can students be “too old” to get financial aid? Is the FAFSA too hard to fill out? Watch the video to get the answers, and then check out our downloadable guide for the complete list of FAFSA myths. 

Orlando Sentinel New Voices Column Features GradNation Panelist

Chanika Charles, a Valencia college student who was recently a student panelist at the Central Florida College Access Network's America's Promise GradNation Summit, has written a guest column for Orlando Sentinel's New Voices . In her column, she shares about her experience overcoming obstacles to achieve her educational goals and her role as a panelist at the Summit. You can view the column here.

GradNation Summit Featured on WUCF TV

Recently, the Central Florida College Access Network hosted an America's Promise Alliance GradNation Summit. Students who participated in this summit were featured on WUCF's American Graduate Day. Check out the video below to see the featured segment.

America's Promise GradNation Summit

Over 100 regional college and university leaders, community services providers, high school counselors and students gathered for the America's Promise GradNation Summit, held in September 2015 at the Orlando Museum of Art.

The Central Florida College Access Network and Heart of Florida United Way hosted the summit, with the goal to increase knowledge of student barriers, and develop solutions to increase students’ access, persistence, and attainment of postsecondary degrees and high quality credentials needed for the 21st Century workforce. The summit highlighted the non-academic challenges facing first-generation students from low-income backgrounds, providing local data, a moderated student panel, and breakout sessions to better equip community leaders to overcome hurdles for students.

The GradNation Summit concluded with a powerful call to action for community leaders to work together on aligned community goals and next steps.