Vermont’s Free Degree Promise Delivers
Where Are They Now: Blake's Story
Free Degree Promise graduate holds a degree, full-time job, and pathway towards business ownership.
As a Williamstown High School junior, Blake Clark never imagined he would be fully employed with a college degree by age 20. Like many of his peers, he had not yet mapped his life after high school. He knew that he loved his friends and basketball, but the rest of his future felt abstract.
Today, two and a half years out of high school, Blake has a business degree and a five-year-plan of launching his own HVAC business. “I set goals for myself and gauge where I am day by day. I am focused, I am a planner, and I am really excited for what my future has got in store,” he shared.
Reflecting on his journey, he credits Vermont’s Free Degree Promise through the state’s Early College program at the Community College of Vermont (CCV) as transforming his path. Two pivotal conversations—one with his dad, another with his school counselor—guided him toward the accelerated degree pathway.
A Natural-Born Business Leader
Growing up, family role models showed Blake the value (as well as the stressors) of being a business owner. His grandfather started Barre Tile, his uncle went to college for business, and his dad owns Lamoille Laundry Center in Morrisville. A long, fortuitous conversation with his dad, Keith, made Blake realize this path was for him too.
“We bounced ideas off each other one night. I’ve always looked up to my dad, and I realized that I wanted to own my own business one day like him.”
Keith remembers being in Blake’s shoes—finishing high school and not sure of his next step, whether college, trade school, or work. He sees it as a part of coming of age. “As we grow and mature, we always find our way,” Keith remarked. “I always had confidence in Blake; and his mom and I told him at a young age we would always support him.”
A Head Start
Blake knew business was his path and he was determined to stay in Vermont. When his high school counselor told him about the state’s Early College program at CCV—through which he could enroll full-time in college courses during his senior year at no cost to him—it immediately resonated with him. He pursued Early College with full support from his family.
“It’s an invaluable program,” Keith states, noting the financial pressure young people face upon graduating. “It’s great to give kids a head start without putting them in debt It directed Blake on the path that’s best for him.”
Although Blake felt apprehensive about stepping away from the typical senior year experience, he was able to remain connected by playing on the school basketball team and staying socially engaged.
And while the academic demands were sometimes stressful, the rigor of college coursework prepared him well for the future. “It took my academics to another level. The stressful part was a real-world experience that was really good for me,” he reflected.
By the end of his senior year, Blake was halfway through his business degree. “I found out about the McClure Foundation [and the Free Degree Promise], and it was an obvious great thing for me.” He reached out to his CCV advisor and “everything fell into place; I completed my business degree in two years."
Launched in 2022, the Free Degree Promise builds on the Early College program, funding a second year of college at CCV the year after high school graduation. In addition to covering fees, tuition, and a living stipend, the Promise connects students to career and education advisors.
Blake’s CCV advisor recommended the Free Degree Promise as a fast-track to a debt-free degree. She guided Blake in everything from course registration to career planning. “My advisor pointed my life in the absolute right direction,” said Blake.
Something to Hold Onto
Upon graduating CCV, Blake worked for his dad but soon felt drawn to a different line of work. Today, Blake is employed at Thivierge Heating & AC where he has nurtured a new mentor relationship with his boss, Allen Thivierge.
“Blake’s knowledge of business education opened my eyes to new ideas and different opportunities,” Allen said. “I knew from the start that he was a knowledgeable kid and could help keep my business up to date and help it become more efficient.”
Allen took Blake under his wing and has supported him in getting licensed and on-the-job training. Blake hopes to start his own HVAC business within the next five years.
“I am a fan of finishing something you’ve started—a stickler really—and Early College and Free Degree Promise were 100% worth it. I’d tell anybody to do it: follow it, finish it, and once you finish, you’ve got something to hold onto.”
Affordable Degrees Benefit All
Since the Free Degree Promise launched with Vermont’s high school graduating class of 2022, CCV has welcomed a 70+% larger cohort of Early College students representing most Vermont high schools.
The increased access to community college is directly benefiting marginalized populations. The Promise has resulted in a 250% increase in the number of low-income students enrolled annually. This year, 38% of students are first-generation college students and 18% of students identify as BIPOC.
“When you remove the financial barrier, students view their future with clarity, hope, and excitement. They can focus on setting goals and planning a pathway to a degree,” said Sarah Kresser, the Early College Degree Program Manager at CCV. “This gives them more agency and motivation.”
CCV is now seeing triple the number of Early College completers each year who are choosing to persist at CCV toward their associate degree.
The McClure Foundation, an affiliate of Vermont Community Foundation, invests in accessible and affordable postsecondary education as a part of its vision of a more equitable and resilient Vermont. It hopes the early impacts of the Free Degree Promise will inspire the state of Vermont to continue the initiative beyond the Foundation’s five-year commitment, so that younger Vermonters can also count on accelerated associate degrees.