Scholarship program to relocate young professionals to Hamilton seeing success
Scholarship program to relocate young professionals to Hamilton seeing success
by?Alexa Helwig, WKRCWednesday, April 20th 2022
A local city is trying to draw in young professionals by offering a pretty nice incentive: A "reverse scholarship” to help pay off student debt is bringing young people from around the United States to live and work in Hamilton. (WKRC)
HAMILTON, Ohio (WKRC) – A local city is trying to draw in young professionals by offering a pretty nice incentive: A "reverse scholarship” to help pay off student debt is bringing young people from around the United States to live and work in Hamilton.
WKRC
Born in Central Kentucky and later moving to the Sunshine State, Matt Prewitt is now happily settled in Southwest Ohio.
“When I first moved to Hamilton, everybody said you should see it 10 years ago,” he said.
There's new life in Hamilton. As leaders work to revitalize the city, an important investment is drawing in talented recent college grads.
Bob Long with the Hamilton Community Foundation is helping.
“We just thought this idea of helping them pay off $10,000 of their loan debt over a three-year period in return for them living in Hamilton. It’s a great way to get young professionals to come here,” Long said.
In 2019, Prewitt was considering a sports tourism position with Travel Butler County.
“During the negotiation process, it was one more thing the community had to offer as far as getting me up here,” Prewitt said.
Prewitt said the scholarship is helping him refocus on his young family and career.
“It’s huge. It’s certainly a concern out of college, and when you graduate, there should be a lot of optimism around your career and opportunities and things. It’s something that always lingers over your head.”
Since 2018, more than 120 people have applied. About 14 are currently part of the program, and three have graduated with the full scholarship.
“And, they’ve all stayed here. They all like it. Some of them are now in the process of starting to buy homes here,” Long said.
It's a community Prewitt is grateful to have found.
“Hamilton is just very accepting. You're immediately one of their own,” he said.
To apply for the scholarship, you must live outside Hamilton and have earned your degree within the last seven years.?Click here for more information.