Area corrections officers could earn up to 15 college credits tuition-free at Kellogg Community College as part of a new state program designed to help officers meet the education requirements for their profession.
The Michigan Department of Corrections requires corrections officers in the state to earn 15 college credits within 24 months of employment. The new Michigan Corrections Officer Grant Program, launched earlier this month, covers the cost of tuition and all mandatory fees for these credits for eligible students.
College courses completed as part of the program must be 100-level or higher, which encompasses nearly all for-credit courses at KCC.
Program Eligibility
Corrections officers who meet the following criteria are eligible to submit an application for the new Michigan Corrections Officer Grant Program:
- Applicants must be employed by the Michigan Department of Corrections
- Applicants must have earned less than 15 college credits
- Applicants must enroll at a community college in Michigan
Applications for the program are free to complete online on the Michigan Community College Association website at mcca.org/Michigan-Corrections-Officer-Grant-Program.
Corrections at KCC
According to MDOC estimates, approximately 450 currently employed corrections officers need to complete the 15-credit education requirement to retain their positions. Additionally, the organization has a goal of hiring 800 new corrections officers each year, and it is anticipated that the majority will need to meet the education requirement to retain their positions.
One option for corrections officers interested in applying their grant at KCC is the College’s Criminal Justice Program, which offers an Associated in Applied Science degree in Corrections and a Corrections Certificate, among other credentials.
Ron Ivey, interim director of Public Safety Education at KCC, said the College is currently working on developing online classes in the program that would allow students to receive the Corrections Certificate completely online.
Interested students should contact Ivey at iveyr@kellogg.edu or visit kellogg.edu/corrections for more information.
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