KINGSVILLE (January 27, 2022) —Texas A&M University-Kingsville has created a new program that can assist eligible students with paying their tuition as they pursue their education.
University officials announced the launch of the program, Javelina Promise, Thursday, Jan. 27, to educators from around South Texas.
Dr. Rito Silva, Vice President of Enrollment Services and Student Affairs, said the announcement of the new program is a historical day for Texas A&M-Kingsville.
“Students whose families make $65,000 or less and meet certain qualifications, can come to [Texas A&M-Kingsville] so they can get their bachelor’s degree for free,” Silva said. “It’s a very special announcement for us because just the name of the program. It is Javelina Promise. We’ve been here almost a hundred years as one of the oldest higher-ed institutions of South Texas. Our promise to our region is we’re going to provide a world-class education for our students and we want to remove the financial barriers for those students as well.”
Javelina Promise will cover tuition and mandatory fees for eligible students by first applying federal and state aid, such as Pell Grant and TEXAS Grant, scholarships, and other gift aid. Any remaining tuition and mandatory fees not covered by the aforementioned programs, will be covered by this award.
New first-time in college (FTIC) students who meet eligibility requirements may receive the award for eight long semesters or upon graduation, whichever occurs first. New undergraduate transfer students who meet eligibility requirements will be pro-rated based on how many credits they have completed to determine for how long they may receive the award.
Gene Espinoza, a sophomore Animal Science student who transferred from Coastal Bend College in his hometown of Alice, is a recipient of Javelina Promise.
“I never would have expected that this opportunity would have come. Every day since I decided to attend here, this shadow of doubt has been on my shoulders so this is a tremendous relief,” Espinoza said.
Texas A&M-Kingsville Interim President Dr. James Hallmark, said the university is “here to help” its students.
“This is a gamechanger for the university and for our students,” Hallmark said. “This will really help them understand that they can afford to come here and pursue their dreams. We want to help
them in any way possible because they have financial challenges and we believe this will really make a difference for these students.”
There is no application for Javelina Promise. Students who qualify for the program must:
• Be a Texas resident
• Have family income of $65,000 or less
• Submit a FAFSA/TASFA
• Demonstrate a financial need according to FAFSA/TASFA
• Enroll full-time for at least 12 credit hours per semester (Fall/Spring only)
• Be admitted to a degree-seeking program and working on first bachelor’s degree
Students in Javelina Promise must maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher, meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, and full-time enrollment each semester. Students must also register for classes by the program’s deadline.
For more information, visit www.tamuk.edu/JavelinaPromise.
Watch a video about the Javelina Promise at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZPFiHrEsw0.
