COLUMBUS, Ohio — A promise is the declaration or assurance that a particular thing will happen.
“What a promise means to me is to stay true with your word,” Owen Mensah said. “And, don’t go back on it.”
For Mensah, 19, staying true to the word is happening right now.
He’s the first in his family to attend college. He’s studying Interpreting American Sign Language at Columbus State Community College, and he is one of the hundreds of former Columbus City Schools students who raised their hand at the recently offered Columbus Promise made by Columbus City Council last November.
“We’re doing this because we know our students are worth it,” Council President Shannon Hardin said. “We know that we have to pour into our community. We have to do something that is for every household.”
Hardin says this inaugural class, at 629 full-time students and another 85 part-time students, more than doubled the 300 CCS students that normally go to Columbus State in the fall.
For many, like Mensah, going to college was a pipe dream because of one roadblock or another.
“No, I never thought about it,” Mensah said of college.
Hardin says $4 million of taxpayer money went toward the program and another $5 million came from the private sector and Columbus State. The program also gives students a $1,000 stipend to help with costs from books to living expenses.
To get in, Hardin says all a student needs to do is graduate from a CCS school, fill out federal student aid and apply for Columbus State and Columbus Promise.
“It’s the easiest application ever because if you do it, you’re in,” Hardin said.
Hardin calls it a sign that good is happening in Columbus. He also sees it as a sign that today’s youth want to be better.
“This gives hope to people,” he said. “That says if you do your part…there will be something there for you.”
Hardin said in the aftermath of COVID, the number of students applying for federal aid in the state of Ohio recently jumped almost 2%. But, for students at CCS, that number has seen a 38% hike following the announcement of free tuition.
“You gotta put in work to get something back out of it,” Mensah said. “So, try. Actually try.”
Mensah’s promise is to continue working hard and continue being an example for future Columbus Promise recipients.
“You never know,” he said. “Like, you might think it’s really expensive and stuff like that, but sometimes people bless you. And, I got blessed with the Columbus Promise.”