ALBANY, GA – Albany Technical College received funding from the US Department of Education under the CARES ACT 2021 to include the Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEERF) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP). As part of the ARP or HEERF funding, colleges and universities may use a portion of their funding to discharge student debt or unpaid balances owed to the institution. Therefore, to assist students who have experienced financial hardships, as a result of the Coronavirus, the college plans to discharge students’ debt who were enrolled on or after March 13, 2020. The goal is to alleviate financial hardship caused primarily by the COVID-19 pandemic and assist students in completing their education.
Albany Technical College will utilize the CARES Act funds to help students adversely impacted by the economic effects of the pandemic. Dr. Parker stated, "No student should have to sit home because they can't afford to pay their past-due debt after having experienced the financial devastation caused by a global pandemic.". "Technical college students have been hit especially hard by COVID-19," President Parker said. "By eliminating the debt those students owe to the college, we are removing a hurdle that prevents far too many people from moving forward in a successful life journey.
Understanding it will take years before the world can bounce back from the impact and devastation caused by the pandemic, the college wants to play a pivotal role in restoring the education endeavors of its student population. This will not only have an impact on students but lasting impacts on their families, the community, and the nation as a whole.
Letters and emails will be sent out to all students who qualify for debt relief. Anyone with questions can call and ask for Helen Catt at 229-430-6159 or email hcatt@albanytech.edu.