Feb 26, 2014 By Higher Ed. Gives Students Opportunities 2 min read

Gov. Tom Corbett wants to give qualified college students free money toward their tuition.

Yes, free money – more specifically, a merit-based grant that draws from a pool of $25 million dollars of the state’s general fund money. Students from middle-income families ¬- which is defined as a household that receives $80,000-$110,000 in annual income – and meet certain academic requirements would be eligible to receive this free money from the state if this proposal is passed for the upcoming 2014-15 fiscal year.

The only problem is the government doesn’t really have the funding to supply $25 million worth of grants to college students. This initiative, known as “Ready to Succeed,” is seemingly destined to fail before it is even enacted.

Gov. Corbett’s Ready to Succeed scholarship program is good for college students.

It’s time for Pennsylvania to stop cutting funding to higher education like Corbett did in 2010-11. It’s time to stop overlooking this area as the state has done for the last three years.

Higher education is what gives students the ability to serve as leaders in society, create mechanisms that advance civilization and discover new breakthroughs that were once deemed unattainable.

At Waynesburg University, we call this living a life of purpose, and living a life of purpose after graduation is the main reason for our education.

For this reason, the state government should strongly consider funding the Ready to Succeed plan. Even if it must be restructured to function properly, this plan will provide college students with the extra funding they need to build the foundation for a successful life.

It isn’t just about the free money; it’s about what that free money can do for the individual’s future – and the future of society.