Buchanan County Degree Attainment Initiative

Help your employees, apprentices and interns earn college degrees, and in turn contribute to the success of your business and the growth of your industry.

The Buchanan County Degree Attainment Initiative will offer selected participants scholarships of up to $7500 to complete a degree in a field related to your business.

Employees, apprentices, and interns whom you identify as having great potential to positively impact your business are ideal candidates for this program. The ideal candidate will also already have significant college credits toward a degree they have started but not finished.

The goals of the BCDAI are to increase the number of individuals in Buchanan County who hold a bachelor's degree, to increase the number of jobs in high growth industries in the region, and most importantly to strengthen the economy.  By providing scholarships to regional citizens, especially to low and moderate income participants, the BCDAI offers a pathway for area employees, apprentices, and interns to achieve degrees.  The BCDAI benefits area businesses by increasing the education and skills of their employees.

What businesses may participate?

The BCDAI is for area high-growth business and industries, including those in:

  • advanced manufacturing
  • energy solutions, bioscience
  • health sciences and services
  • information technology
  • financial and professional services
  • transportation and logistics

If your business falls in one of these categories, and you'd like to become a partner, please contact the Western Institute at 816-271-4100.

How does my business participate?

  1. Identify nominees for participation.
  2. Download the application, and have each of your nominees fill it out and return as instructed.
  3. All applications must be returned to Western Institute for processing, even if the nominee wishes to attend an institution other than Missouri Western.
  4. A board made up of representatives of partnering business, agencies and educational entities will select program participants from your nominees.

 

Press Conference Announcing the BCDAI

 

More Information

Missouri Department of Economic Development

Office of Missouri Governor Jay Nixon

Saint Joseph Missouri Economic Development

Press

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