By Kathleen Bolter, Brad Hershbein, Alfonso Hernandez and Bridget Timmeney
July 7, 2023
The Kalamazoo Promise college scholarship program launched in 2005 and has paved the path for a growing number of free-tuition “Promise” initiatives nationwide. The Upjohn Institute’s Promise: Investing in Community initiative examines the effect of such programs as place-based economic development strategies.
As part of its efforts, the Upjohn Institute tracks usage and success measures associated with the Kalamazoo Promise. The latest data analysis, for the year 2022, has just been released, providing insight into enrollment trends, degree completion rates and other measures, segmented by race, gender and socioeconomic status.
The analysis of enrollment trends among Kalamazoo Promise-eligible students reveals the enduring positive effect of the scholarship program on college degree attainment. Although overall college enrollment levels remain below pre-pandemic figures, the Kalamazoo Promise's generous 10-year eligibility window has played an important role in supporting students as they complete their degrees.
Here's a closer look by the numbers:
Click the button below for the latest findings on the Kalamazoo Promise, including enrollment statistics and degree completion rates segmented by various demographic factors.