Grand Valley State University is making it easier for Detroit high school students to attend GVSU.

Last week, GVSU President Thomas J. Haas signed papers in Detroit making the university a full partner in the Detroit Promise.

The Detroit Promise is funded by the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation and administered by the Detroit Regional Chamber. It ensures that Detroit students graduating from a high school within the city can attend college with no tuition costs.

To qualify for the Detroit Promise, students must be a resident of the city, attend a high school in Detroit, register for the Detroit Promise by June 30, 2017, and be admitted to a participating college.

"Grand Valley is delighted to become a full partner in a program that puts a college degree within the reach of many more students from Detroit," said Haas. "We specialize in student success and appreciate the Detroit Promise's requirement that students stay on track to graduation.

"Grand Valley has the best graduation rate among Michigan's regional universities, and we know that college-bound students from Detroit will find their passion and obtain a degree at our university. We're excited about the partnership with students, the chamber and the city."

The Detroit Promise covers tuition costs not covered by grants and other scholarships students receive. It grew from an initial effort by the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation and the Detroit Regional Chamber to help students from Detroit pursue education beyond high school.

"Grand Valley is an outstanding university and we are happy to continue to send Detroit's talent to GVSU," said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. "This partnership is one of the most important things we have done in the city to help our top students pursue education at a four-year university."

Grand Valley becomes the 12th four-year university to participate in the program.

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