Baker College launches Return to the Hive program to entice students to finish their degrees

Recently, Baker College announced that it launched a new program entitled “Return to the Hive.” The program was created to entice former students to return to the college to complete their unfinished degrees without having to worry about their past student loan debt. Return to the Hive offers an easy way for former students to return to higher education by providing not only financial support and relief in general, but in a personalized way as well.

There are many reasons why a student may choose to pause their education, and Baker College notes that these challenges can be overcome when organizations prioritize student success as defined by graduation and employment. The Return to the Hive program offers students with as much as total forgiveness of institutional debt owed directly to the school itself. It will also provide a personalized plan to help steer students toward graduation, as well as a “Back To Baker” scholarship to help bear the costs of more classes for students who qualify.

In an article posted on Baker College’s website, Dr. Jacqui Spicer, who serves as the school’s President and CEO, talked about the Return to the Hive program, saying, “The ‘Return to the Hive’ program is more than just debt forgiveness; it’s an invitation back to a supportive community that champions the aspirations of our students. We know that life can throw unexpected curveballs, and for many, that meant putting their education on hold. This program is our commitment to helping them finish what they started, providing the resources and encouragement they need to succeed.”

In order to participate in the Return to the Hive program, students must have attended classes at Baker College at least two years ago (with the exception of students from St. Francis Law), and are returning to the school to pursue either a certificate or a degree. 

Students taking part in the program will closely work with dedicated financial aid and academic advisors to create a Return to the Hive Student Success Plan tailored to their needs. The plan will be designed around creating a successful and smooth path to graduation that provides students with as much support and guidance as they need.

The Return to the Hive debt forgiveness component has been set up to provide participants with both immediate debt relief and continued motivation by allowing for 50% of eligible institutional debt to be forgiven after the participant completes their first semester, with the other half being forgiven after the second semester. Students who finish their degree in only one semester will have the total of their debt forgiven once they graduate. The school has created “Back To Baker” scholarships, as well.

The school created this forgiveness model so that students will be able to feel the benefits of the program while also being encouraged to attain their academic goals. Along with debt forgiveness, scholarships like the “Back To Baker” Scholarship will help returning students offset the costs of their new coursework as long as they qualify for those scholarships.

Baker College has also decided to remove the application fee for returning students in order to make the re-enrollment process even easier.

Former Baker College students who left the school before finishing their degree because of debt can utilize the Return to the Hive program in order to restart their academic journey. More information about returning to Baker College can be found on the Return to the Hive page. Students can also speak to an advisor by contacting the Office of Admissions by phone at (855) 487-7888.

More information about Baker College can be found at the school’s website.