SMC Commits to Helping More Students Pursue College Through ‘Big Mo’

Posted on by Jeremy Handel

SMC Partners with SAM to Help More High Schoolers Pursue a College Degree

Fountain in front of dormJeremy Handel

Staff Writer

Spartanburg Methodist College is offering $1,000 to help qualified, local high schoolers more easily pursue a college education through a partnership with the Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM).

As part of the Movement 2030 initiative, which seeks to increase college education rates in Spartanburg County, SAM has launched the “Big Mo” program, targeting high school seniors in the county. The initiative seeks to increase college enrollment among seniors by providing more information and some incentive to enroll.

“SMC takes pride in providing every possible resource to potential students to eliminate the barriers to attending college,” said Ben Maxwell, Vice President for Enrollment at SMC. “Through this partnership, we can show students the opportunities at SMC and provide some important financial support.”

Students participating in Big Mo who choose to attend SMC will be eligible for up to $1,000 per year to help cover fees. In addition, the program provides:

Assistance with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),

Reminders about application deadlines,

College, degree, and career guidance,

Community-based resources and support.

“This is more than a program for students – it’s an investment in Spartanburg’s future,” said Dr. Russell Booker, CEO for SAM. “By helping every student take their next step after high school, we’re strengthening our workforce, building healthier and more prosperous families, and laying the foundation for a stronger community and economy for years to come.”

In addition to helping students, “Big Mo” is giving guidance counselors a new tool to help them guide seniors’ progress. Working with Economic Mobility Systems, “Big Mo” has developed a customized dashboard that functions as a case management system. They can log and monitor each student’s progress, like FAFSA submission, applications, and more.

SMC has been a partner in SAM’s Movement 2030 from its inception, focusing on increasing the number of college graduates in Spartanburg County. The College developed a 100 percent online general studies degree for the program, targeting returning adult students who started college but weren’t able to finish their degree.

In addition to the “Big Mo” incentive, SMC also offers a variety of other financial aid and scholarship programs to help eliminate the barriers to a college education. All South Carolina students who are eligible for the LIFE Scholarship can get their full tuition cost covered at the College.

“Our partnership with SAM and Movement 2030 is a direct complement to our own students first, students always mentality here at SMC,” said Scott Cochran, SMC President. “We’re both focused on providing more opportunities for students to earn their degree and help advance the Spartanburg community.”