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     SAFRA

    The Forever a Lion initiative is a program designed to turn Greenville Lions into A&M-Commerce Lions by offering current and future GISD high school graduates an excellent pathway to learn more about the first-class academic programs, outstanding faculty and exciting student life at A&M Commerce. 
      
    A&M Commerce and GISD are committed to student engagement, lifelong learning and making a positive impact on our students, our community and the world in which we live.
     
    "I am very excited about what this partnership will do for the students of GISD. I am a firm believer that education opens doors, provides options, and leads to greater success and happiness in life," GISD Superintendent Sharon Boothe said.
     
    To introduce them to campus life, students and their parents/families are invited to special tours and orientation sessions at the university. They also receive a select number of tickets for select events and athletic competitions. The A&M Commerce Admissions Office and Greenville High School counselors have put on a series of events to help students and families understand the financial aid process and how to fill out forms, including the FAFSA.
     

    “A&M-Commerce is working to keep higher education affordable and accessible,” A&M Commerce President Mark Rudin said. “Financial obstacles should not block ambitious students and teachers from achieving their goals.  We are pleased to expand our partnership with Greenville ISD to five programs that benefit both high school students and GISD teachers.”

     
    The Forever A Lion Program has grown over time to include five components:
     
    • The Forever A Lion program ensures admission to all GISD juniors who are on track to graduate or GISD seniors who graduate in the top 50th percentile or any GISD student who has an ACT composite score of 21 or SAT ERW score of 1060.
    • The President's Promise, which provides free tuition for 4 years for most GISD students (depending on family income). The President's Promise is a last-dollar tuition scholarship, which means it covers the balance of tuition for 15 hours each semester for up to four academic years for first-year students and for up to two academic years for transfer students (summer terms and non-A&M-Commerce enrolled hours are not included) NOT covered by other grants, scholarships, exemptions, benefits and/or waiver programs received by the student. The student applicant must meet the  criteria listed in items 1-6 listed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
    • The Rising Lion program introduces students to college life in summer school, providing a structured academic experience for incoming freshmen.
    • Quick Start offers scholarships to GISD teachers pursuing graduate degrees. A&M-Commerce will provide a continuous $250 or $500 per semester grant based on credit hours to those who meet the criteria listed in the Graduate Criteria section of the MOU. The superintendent also has the opportunity to select one employee for a full master’s degree scholarship.
    • The Teacher of the Year Grant program provides a continuous $250 or $500 per semester grant based on credit hours to those who meet the criteria listed in the Graduate Criteria section of the MOU. This is only available to the district or campus teachers of the year who enroll and apply for the grant up to one year after being named teacher of the year.

    To learn more about the terms of the program, click HERE to read the updated Memorandum of Understanding, which was updated April 20, 2021.

    For more information about the program, please contact the Greenville High School Counseling Office at 903-457-2550 or email GHS Lead Counselor Catherine Just at justc@greenvilleisd.com.