Louisville Rotary Promise Scholars can now qualify for a scholarship to attend Indiana University Southeast after attending Jefferson Community and Technical College and receiving an associate degree.

The Rotary Promise Scholarship program is a partnership among the Rotary Club of Louisville, Jefferson County Public Schools, and JCTC that’s intended to help increase college attendance among students from Western and Iroquois high schools in Louisville. It assures that eligible students can attend JCTC “tuition free.”

IU Southeast is offering up to $6,000 over two years to complete a bachelor’s degree to show its support for the Rotary Promise program. The scholarships are applied toward expenses not covered by other financial assistance.

Rotary Promise Scholars must graduate with at least a 2.5 GPA, 90 percent attendance, no major disciplinary problems, and enroll at JCTC. Additionally, students who graduate with 60 hours of dual credits from Western High School, the equivalent of an associate degree, can enroll directly at IU Southeast.

“We are honored to be involved with the Rotary Club of Louisville and the Rotary Promise Scholarship Program because together we can improve the lives of deserving college students,” IU Southeast Chancellor Ray Wallace said. “We look forward to welcoming these students and to develop the next generation of productive citizens for our region.”

The first Rotary Promise Scholars from Iroquois High School graduate this year – 39 students. Thirty-seven will graduate from Western High School in the second year of the program there.

“The Rotary Club of Louisville is committed to creating pathways to educational and career success for students at Iroquois and Western High Schools,” Rotary President Alice Bridges said. “It is such a win to have yet another affordable option available to them to pursue a college degree through this exciting new partnership with IU Southeast.”