Governor Proclaims North Carolina Countdown to College 2024

NORTH CAROLINA COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE

2024

BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the First in Talent: Strategic Economic Development Plan for the State of North Carolina sets a goal to prepare North Carolina’s workforce for career and entrepreneurial success; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina has set a statewide educational attainment goal to increase the number of individuals holding an industry-valued credential or postsecondary degree to two million by 2030; and

WHEREAS, myFutureNC's 2024 Educational Attainment Report shows that the state needs “70,682 more 18-24-year-olds each year to enroll in a postsecondary institution to meet the statewide postsecondary enrollment goals, and to meet the workforce needs beyond 2030" in North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, College for North Carolina (CFNC) is a free resource funded by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) that promotes access to higher education and assists students with education planning, career planning and applying and paying for college in North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, during October, CFNC will kick off NC Countdown to College, a statewide campaign to support North Carolinians in researching future careers, applying to college, and completing the steps to obtain financial aid, including establishing residency and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and

WHEREAS, during College Application Week, October 21-27, 2024, many North Carolina colleges and universities will waive application fees, and all will accept the College Board fee waiver for students with a demonstrated financial need, helping to ensure that no student is deprived of the opportunity to pursue admission to the institution(s) of their choice due to financial hardship; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina encourages students to use CFNC.org to research higher education opportunities and submit college applications, and to use their CFNC accounts to visit NCcareers.org to explore careers, to prepare them to succeed in today’s global economy and support North Carolina’s growing workforce needs;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim October, 2024, as “NORTH CAROLINA COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.

                                                                           ________________________________________

                                                                                                           Roy Cooper

                                                                                                              Governor

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this twenty-fifth day of September in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.