The expansion comes after the success of the EMU Educators Promise program, which seeks to support education students to combat the ongoing teacher shortage. The expansion will assist students in other majors with loan repayment assistance.
Eastern Michigan University is expanding its Loan Repayment Assistance program, called EMU Advantage, following the success of its EMU Educators Promise program. The EMU Educators Promise program targeted education students with loan repayment assistance to help combat the ongoing shortage of qualified educators in the state. The university is now offering loan repayment assistance to students in 16 other majors.
According to an article on Eastern Michigan University's website, Katie Condon-Martin, who serves as the university’s Vice President of Enrollment Management, was quoted as saying of the expansion, “EMU Advantage reflects our deep commitment to student success and workforce development. We saw incredible engagement with the Educators Promise, and expanding this support to more majors was the natural next step.”
The majors included in the newly expanded EMU Advantage are Anthropology, Art History, Arts and Entertainment Management, Children's & Young Adult Literature, Cinema Studies, Communication, Economics, Education, English, Geography, History, International Affairs, Philosophy, Public and Nonprofit Administration, Religious Studies, Social Work, and Women's & Gender Studies.
Students who are enrolled in these academic programs will be able to take advantage of the loan repayment assistance at no additional cost to them or their families. EMU Advantage will help graduates repay their federal student, parent PLUS, and private alternative loans following their graduation, as long as their income following graduation is under $50,000. The goal of the program is to allow students to study in whatever academic program will allow them to pursue their passions without needing to worry about loan repayment on a lower salary.
In order to be eligible to participate, students must be enrolled in one of the qualifying academic programs, be a first-time college student or a transfer student, have 60 credit hours or fewer left to complete, and be a United States citizen.
One student who took advantage of the loan repayment assistance program said of the experience, “The Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) has been an incredible relief. As someone who pursued a career in public service, I was concerned about managing my student loan debt while following my passion. LRAP has given me the financial confidence to focus on making an impact in my community without being overwhelmed by repayment worries. Knowing there’s a safety net if my income falls below a certain level allows me to pursue meaningful work with peace of mind.”
Another student noted, “As someone paying for college on my own, it’s a relief to know there’s additional assistance and financial light at the end of this journey. Furthering my education to teach young students is a passion I’ve chosen to pursue, though it’s costly. The LRAP program gives me confidence and security in my decision to become a teacher and study at EMU.”
The EMU Educators Promise program showed strong results, with 39 students participating in Fall 2024, and 121 students participating in Fall 2025.
For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the school’s website.