Miami Regionals, city announce new Hamilton Promise Scholarship

The program is designed to provide free tuition for 2-year and 4-year degrees at Miami Regionals to Pell Grant-eligible students attending Hamilton High School, Stephen T. Badin High School, or Butler Tech from Hamilton City School District and residing within Hamilton.

“The Hamilton Promise is more than just scholarship dollars,” said Ande Durojaiye, vice president of Miami University Regionals. “It’s an investment in providing opportunities that will, in turn, lead to a talented workforce, economic development and business growth. The impact of the Hamilton Promise will strengthen our community today and well into the future.”

The program had been in discussion for about a year when Durojaiye reached out to the Hamilton Community Foundation and city leaders to address the question: “How do we make sure income is not a barrier to success for higher education?”

He said at the State of the Schools luncheon at the Fitton Center on Thursday that Miami Regionals has made promises when it comes to students and higher education — the promise of access to education and to student success. He said they had not been able to fulfill the promise of college affordability until Thursday’s Hamilton Promise announcement.

The Hamilton Community Foundation has made an initial commitment of $663,000 over five years to launch Miami’s Hamilton Promise. This initiative aims to eliminate financial barriers, reduce student loan debt and create a pathway for increased retention and graduation rates among eligible students.

“The Miami Hamilton Promise represents a significant step forward in our collective effort to open doors to higher education for the youth of our community,” said John Guidugli, Hamilton Community Foundation president and CEO. “Together, we’re laying the groundwork for a future where every student in Hamilton has the opportunity to pursue their dreams. This partnership is a testament to our shared vision of a brighter, more inclusive future for all our residents.”

This grant is renewable for up to eight consecutive semesters and students must maintain a 2.5 or greater cumulative high school GPA.

For consideration, students need to apply for admission to Miami Regionals (with the required materials) and complete the FAFSA by April 1. The application, and additional information, can be found online at MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/HamiltonPromise.