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MEMPHIS (AP) — A community college in Tennessee has paid more than $1.8 million to clear outstanding balances for students who attended classes last year during the coronavirus pandemic.
Southwest Tennessee Community College said it will forgive remaining debt for 1,600 eligible students who took classes during the spring, summer and fall semesters in 2020.
The college, which has locations in Memphis and Somerville, said it paid for the debt forgiveness package with emergency funds from the U.S. Department of Education.
The American Rescue Plan Act funding can go toward a student’s cost of attendance or emergency costs that arose due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care or child care, the college said in a news release Monday.
“Our students were hit particularly hard by the pandemic and many of them had to leave college abruptly,” said Tracy D. Hall, the college’s president. “Wiping the slate clean clears a path for them to come back and move forward with their goals and career aspirations.”