Part of Malloy’s “Transform CSCU2020” Project Launches

Mike LaPorte

Live Wire Staff Writer

Governor Dannel P. Malloy visited Manchester Community College on Monday June 2 to announce the start of the “Go Back to Get Ahead” program. The program is a crucial part of the “Transform CSCU 2020” project, which he came to MCC to announce last February as well.

According to the Malloy, there are 89,000 unfinished associate’s degrees, and more and more high school seniors are receiving their diplomas. While graduation rates are still up, the number of seniors that actually finish school with their diplomas is down in Connecticut. It is also estimated that by 2020, at least 70% of jobs will require some form of a post-secondary degree, such as an associate’s or a bachelor’s. The “Transform CSCU 2020” project will help get those 89,000 students back in school so they can finish their degrees and be ready for the future workplace.

“Go Back to Get Ahead” is so important to the project as a whole because it is an incentive to get students to go back to college so they can finish their degree. The program allows for students who dropped out of college before December 1, 2012 (out of school for 18 or more months) and who are Connecticut residents that started their school in the state, to come back to a state college or university (such as MCC, Charter Oak State College, or Central Connecticut State University) and take three free three-credit courses.

Interested students can sign up on the program’s website or by calling a toll-free number. An advertising campaign will be rolled out encouraging students to sign up for the program. All state schools as well as the University of Connecticut are participating in this program.

For more information, the website is http://www.gobacktogetahead.com/ and the phone number is 1-844-428-4228.