Say Yes Syracuse and Onondaga Community College are teaming up to provide students with more affordable housing.
Syracuse City school district graduates who attend OCC will be eligible for up to $2,500 in housing assistance through the new Preferred Partners Program. Ahmeed Turner, the executive director at Say Yes Syracuse, said making college more affordable will enhance student’s experiences.
“Having students live on campus and kind of be free of whatever barriers are getting in the way of their classroom participation while they are on campus is going to be amazing," Turner said. "They’ll be much more deeply connected to Onondaga Community College and they’ll be able to access the college’s resources readily."
To be eligible, students will need to be Say Yes Scholars, which entails being a Syracuse resident and being enrolled in a city school for three years. They must also graduate. Turner said this scholarship will help not only individuals, but also the community.
Fantastic news! Say Yes Syracuse & OCC are teaming up to help @SyracuseSchools graduates with who attend our college with their housing costs. For more info, check out our article which also includes dates for info sessions 🗓️ https://t.co/t6OWPyqMVF pic.twitter.com/KtMQRBdzLg
— OCC (@OnondagaCC) April 11, 2023
“Just opening the door for students, allowing them the opportunity to get all of the instruction they need, to utilize all the resources they need to use while their on campus, and level the playing field will truly be an economic driver for those students and for the region,” Turner said.
Say Yes Scholars who remain in good academic standing are eligible for the preferred partners program for up to four consecutive semesters.
Families interested in learning more can attend a number of upcoming information sessions in the Syracuse City School District. A full list of those sessions can be found on the Say Yes Syracuse website.
