By Andy Dahn

BLOOMINGTON – Scholarships being provided by State Farm will be given to 10 Lincoln College students each year who are enrolled in the Accelerated Bridge to Education program.

Executive Director of the Center for Adult Learning Vance Laine said the scholarships are perfect for low income students at the Normal campus who have earned an associate’s degree.

“It’s designed for people who will be working,” Laine said. “People who are working at least part-time, raising a family and also trying to finish a bachelor’s degree after earning an associate’s degree.”

Laine said the scholarships can give an extra push to students thinking about earning their bachelor’s degree.

“It helps people say that there’s no time better than now,” said Laine. “They can get free tuition for 12 months if they qualify for the scholarship. And after that, the Pell grant would cover most of what they would still have to pay for in terms of tuition that next year.”

Investments are also being made to other Lincoln campuses for younger students.

“Students who want the traditional college experience have other options here in town,” Laine said. “We are investing millions of dollars in making it a stronger college experience for those down in the Normal campus who want to live in the dorms and experience life straight from high school into college.”

Students enrolled in the ABE program can earn degrees in areas like criminal justice and business management. Classes for the programs will meet once a week along with online work.

More information on the scholarships and the ABE program can be found at abe.lincolncollege.edu.

Andy Dahn can be reached at [email protected].