In partnership with Woodland Community College (WCC), the City of Woodland is proud to announce that the Woodland Promise Program to support local higher education access and equity will launch in Fall 2021.

The program will provide financial resources to help Woodland students who might not otherwise be able to afford a college education. Woodland Promise has two components: a fee-waiver program called Woodland College Promise and a scholarship program called the Woodland Stars Scholarship.

Woodland College Promise will cover up to two years of community college fees for eligible students who live in Woodland and graduated from a local high school. Eligible students must be full-time WCC students with a completed Student Educational Plan. 

The points-based Woodland Stars Scholarship will award up to an additional $1,000 a year to students benefiting from the Woodland College Promise program. Woodland Stars applicants will be assigned points based on their demonstrated civic engagement or volunteerism, their academic performance, their Student Educational Plan, and their time spent with applied internships associated with their studies. Scholarships can be used toward supplemental materials such as textbooks and represent an additional tool to foster educational access at WCC regardless of a student’s financial means. 

“As a City, we want our youth to know that we value their future and that we want them to succeed,” says Councilmember Vicky Fernandez. “Sometimes, students have to make a decision to work or go to school,” adds Mayor Pro Tem Mayra Vega. “Being able to support them financially is going to make a big difference.”

City staff worked closely with Woodland Community College and President Art Pimentel, himself a former Woodland City Councilmember, on this two-year program with mutual hopes to extend it in the future. The City allocated $100,000 of uncommitted Measure J funds and will work with WCC to report back on program results in Winter and Spring 2023. City funding will cover “last dollar” expenses - in other words, covering the gap for students who have exhausted all other funding resources. City Council and staff sincerely thank Woodland voters for approving Measure J and enabling this direct investment in local students.

Students interested in learning more can visit wcc.yccd.edu or stop by WCC campus. To apply, students should complete a standard FAFSA or Dream Act application as well as a WCC admissions application prior to applying to the Woodland College Promise program. You can click here for more information on Woodland Promise and additional “promise” programs offered at WCC.