Area high school students who took concurrent enrollment classes from Trinidad State in the spring 2020 semester are eligible to receive a full tuition scholarship this fall.

“For those high school seniors who had planned to go away to college this fall,” said Trinidad State President Dr. Rhonda Epper, “this is a way to stay close to home and save thousands of dollars. We’ve never done anything like this before, but these are unusual times.”

The savings for each student is estimated at more than $2,400, but the number of scholarships available is limited. “We understand the COVID 19 Pandemic has created a large disruption for your senior year of high school and may be influencing your plans to move on to college in the fall. Maybe you have concerns about relocating to a COVID hotspot, or perhaps you question attending college at all given the uncertainties ahead,” continued Epper. “We have a great solution for you. You’ve already earned credit through TSJC, so why not go ahead and take one more semester with us?” Students are encouraged to apply quickly, as the funding is limited.

Trinidad State plans to open with face-to-face instruction on August 17. Health precautions will include frequent cleaning of shared surfaces, physical distancing and small class sizes. Residence Halls are planned for single-room occupancy.

The money to pay for this program comes from CARES Act funding from the federal government.

To be eligible students must have taken at least one concurrent enrollment class through Trinidad State in the spring of 2020 and must enroll in 15 credit-hours this fall at either Trinidad State Campus (Trinidad or Alamosa). If that student chooses to continue with Trinidad State beyond the fall 2020 semester, additional scholarships may be available.

To confirm eligibility and apply, go to the Trinidad State website at trinidadstate.edu/concurrent/. This is a one-time opportunity for concurrent enrollment graduating seniors.

For those who don’t qualify for this special offer, Trinidad State offers the Learn Local Scholarship, which automatically reduces tuition by 20 percent for area students who take 15 credit-hours in the fall. This is limited to students who live in Las Animas, Huerfano, Costilla, Conejos, Rio Grande, Saguache, Alamosa or Mineral counties.