Micah S. Evans // July 30, 2018
Maryland legislators recently passed a community college bill that would provide a $5,000 scholarship to eligible Maryland students after all grants and scholarships have been applied, often referred to as “last-dollar” programs. With Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) having just signed the bill into law, Maryland is now part of a growing list of states offering such scholarships. Maryland’s version of the initiative would be open to students applying within two years of high school graduation or attainment of a GED, who maintained at least a 2.3 grade point average, and enrolled in 12 credit hours or more at one of the state’s 16 community colleges. This general movement toward greater access in higher education is laudable and certainly a move in the right direction for Maryland. However, there is a glaring omission in this effort, Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs).