Michael Borys and Connor Fitzgerald
Staff Writers
On Sept. 18 the governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, announced that New Mexico will provide tuition-free public, two- and four-year college minors and adults in New Mexico. This new program is named the opportunity scholarship. It would be available not just to graduating seniors, but also to adult students allowing them to return to get their college degree.
Unlike other states, this opportunity gives free tuition to all students regardless of their family income. New Mexico has one of the boldest state-led efforts to increase the number of students getting the proper education. The opportunity scholarship applies to all state residents no matter their income status. This scholarship mainly came from the dilemma throughout America with many families not being able to afford the rising prices of Universities in America.
Although some states like New York, Tennessee, and Oregon have offered scholarship programs in order to decrease this problem throughout the country, New Mexico's plan is different because you don't have to pay anything at all and your financial status is not important. This program will apply to the 29 institutions in New Mexico. The state plans to cover the cost of these scholarships by using their surging oil production revenue.
Some states are following in their path and debating to increase the amount of scholarships given to families in order to improve the local economy and improve educational achievement. Many believe that free college would be extremely beneficial towards the country, but others believe that the funding going towards free college would be more beneficially spent on special help programs for students that need extra help at universities.
