By Zachary Horner, Chatham News + Record Staff

Photo via CCCC

Mark Hall said he expected a good number of applicants for the first year of Central Carolina Community College’s Chatham Promise program.

But the 170 applications he’s received so far, all from recent graduates of Chatham County public high schools, surprised him.

“I’m a little bit surprised that there are this many this early, but I’m also happy to see that,” said Hall, the college’s provost. “That means there are that many students wanting to take this route in their education.”

The deadline to apply for the program is July 19, just under a month away, but the college has already seen early excitement for it. Chatham Promise will provide free tuition and fees for Chatham County public, private and homeschooled high school graduates who completed the Career and College Promise program — with exceptions for 2019 and 2020 grads — and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and CCCC Foundation scholarship application.

Hall said the college held an open house/registration event last week that was slated to go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“People showed up at 9 o’clock, and I helped the last student at 5:30,” he said.

The Chatham County government is contributing $200,000 for the program’s first year as part of its fiscal year 2019-20 budget. County Manager Dan LaMontagne praised the program in his budget message, writing that “by extending a college education to those who may not have been able to obtain it,” Chatham Promise “will provide equitable access to a high quality education for all.”

To learn more about the program and eligibility requirements, visit cccc.edu/promise/chatham. CCCC has similar programs for its campuses in Lee and Harnett counties as well.

Hall said “it’s not too late” for prospective applicants, but encouraged them to not wait.

“I think we’re getting a lot of response this year,” he said. “Get it in there now so you can get the courses that you need so you can graduate on time and move on to the next phase in your life.”

 

Chapelboro.com has partnered with the Chatham News + Record in order to bring more Chatham-focused stories to our audience. 

The Chatham News + Record is Chatham County’s source for local news and journalism. The Chatham News, established in 1924, and the Chatham Record, founded in 1878, have come together to better serve the Chatham community as the Chatham News + Record. Covering news, business, sports and more, the News + Record is working to strengthen community ties through compelling coverage of life in Chatham County.

Related Stories
‹
Chatham County Commissioner Shares Latest on Bynum Contamination, Wolfspeed Development
Chair of the Chatham County Commissioners Karen Howard spoke with 97.9 The Hill about major stories happening in Siler City and Bynum.
Chatham Promise Offers Free Community College to County High School Graduates
The Chatham County Commissioners voted to pass Chatham County Promise, an agreement with Central Carolina Community College to fund free tuition for residents graduating public high school. Passed in mid-December, the agreement allows Chatham’s graduating public high school classes of 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 to receive two years of free tuition at Central Carolina, […]
2026 Candidate Introductions: Democratic Primaries for the Chatham County Board of Commissioners
The Chatham County Board of Commissioners sees contested Democratic primaries in Districts 3 and 5 seats on the ballot for this spring.
Chatham County Roundup: Commissioner Karen Howard
Chatham County Commissioner Karen Howard spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, February 17, discussing county news and events. She discussed the county commissioners' recent decision to place a moratorium on the construction of data centers in Chatham County. She also talked about the most recent meeting of the county commissioners, which saw the board giving the go ahead to the creation of a new park near Moncure, and more.
'24/7 Surveillance': Residents Voice Privacy Concerns for Pittsboro's Flock License-Plate Cameras
Some Chatham County residents are speaking out against Pittsboro’s use of Flock license-plate cameras, citing privacy concerns. The surveillance technology by Flock Safety largely aims to help local police identify suspects and locate missing persons by taking still images of a vehicle’s “distinguishing features,” including the license plate. Although it has been two years since […]
Chatham County Roundup: Former Pittsboro Mayor and Host of "On The Porch" Randy Voller
Host of "On The Porch" on 97.9 The Hill and former Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, February 12. He discussed recent news from Chatham County, including the county commissioners' decision to put a moratorium on construction of AI datacenters in the county. He also discussed recent real estate trends in the area, conversations with local leaders running for reelection, and more.
Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025
This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.
2026 Candidate Introductions: Democratic Primary for U.S. House - NC-09
NC-09 has long been a Republican stronghold. This spring, four Democrats are running for the chance to face longtime U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson on the November ballot.
Chatham County Sheriff: Georgia Man Charged After Forging Check
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office is charging a Georgia man with multiple felonies in connection with a forged check, cashed outside North Carolina, tied to funds stolen from a Chatham County resident. The sheriff’s office says it first received a report about the forged check on Jan. 10. Investigators then reviewed a check-cashing transaction for […]
Haw River Assembly Shares Annual Report on Health of the Watershed, Issues Facing It
In February, the Haw River Assembly will host several opportunities for the community to hear updates on the state of the watershed.
›