Students living within the city limits of Dickinson, Texas City, La Marque, Hitchcock or Santa Fe can participate in the Opening Doors Promise Scholarship program at College of the Mainland.

The City of Dickinson recently joined the program thanks to a $301,576 donation from the Dickinson Management District No. 1. Through the scholarship, every qualifying City of Dickinson student will be able to attend COM full time with all tuition and fees covered starting in fall 2021.
 
The Dickinson ISD Board of Trustees recognized representatives with the City of Dickinson and the Dickinson Management District No. 1 at the June 7 board meeting for their efforts to provide this opportunity for City of Dickinson students. Those attending included City of Dickinson Mayor Sean Skipworth, as well as Johnnie Simpson, Jr., Mary Dunbaugh and Charles Suderman, who all serve on the Dickinson Management District No. 1. 
 
The Opening Doors Promise Scholarship program is part of COM’s ongoing effort to expand access to affordable, high-quality education throughout the college’s
neighboring communities.

“We want our students to come home and come back to us with good, high-paying jobs, and education means a lot to that effort,” said Mary Dunbaugh. “It’s our hope that our students will have an opportunity for a higher education, and they will bring that knowledge back to the community and help the community grow.”

“The best thing that we can do as a management district is to try to enrich economic development to create a more qualified workforce,” said Johnnie Simpson, Jr. “A more qualified workforce means higher income earners, more productive citizens and a better city overall.”
  

This phase of the program will provide a “last-dollar scholarship” for Class of 2021 high school students residing in Dickinson by offering funding to fill the gap for the remaining tuition and fees after grants or scholarships have been applied. With the scholarship, students can earn an associate degree or complete a workforce training certificate program with no tuition or fees in fall 2021.

For more information about the Opening Doors Promise Scholarship and eligibility requirements, visit www.com.edu/promise or call (409) 933-8144.