Students who receive the Learn to Dream Scholarship at Southeast Community College can now complete a second year of credits without having to pay tuition and fees, thanks to a recent gift from the Acklie Charitable Foundation.

The scholarship, first established in 2007 as a partnership between Union Bank & Trust, Nelnet, Lincoln Public Schools,and SCC, included recruitment and transition support and covered tuition and fees up to 45 quarter credit hours for qualifying students. The donation by ACF will now allow students to complete up to 90 quarter credit hours, or two years of study, without paying tuition and fees.

“Acklie Charitable Foundation is pleased to be able to extend the impact of the Learn to Dream Scholarship,” said Halley Acklie Kruse, vice president and general counsel for the ACF. “Union Bank and Nelnet’s vision to help give young people in Lincoln the opportunity to further their education is inspiring, and that is a dream we want to help continue.”

Dr. Paul Illich, SCC president, said the investment by all four entities greatly assists the College in its commitment to “an open-access mission of providing a skilled workforce and affordable access to higher education for the diverse communities it serves.”

“The generosity and vision of Union Bank & Trust, Nelnet, Lincoln Public Schools, and the Acklie Charitable Foundation provides opportunity and hope to future students without a clear path to earn a college degree and leverage the many life-changing benefits,” Illich said. “SCC is honored and greatly appreciative of the newest member of the Learn to Dream Scholarship partnership, Acklie Charitable Foundation.”

There are a number of eligibility criteria to receive the scholarship, including:

Students must be enrolled in Lincoln Public Schools or a private school at the beginning of his or her senior year and remain in the district until graduation.

Qualifying students who graduate from a LPS or private high school in Lincoln after Jan. 1, 2018, can take advantage of the 90 quarter credit hours.

* They must be eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

* They must complete the 90 quarter credit hours within 48 months of first enrolling at SCC.

* They must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade-point average while enrolled at SCC.

Phyllis and the late Duane Acklie, Kruse’s grandparents and founders of Acklie Charitable Foundation, both started their educations through the Nebraska community college system. Duane, who went on to obtain a law degree and establish Crete Carrier Corporation, believed in the value of higher education. Duane and Phyllis also felt strongly that Nebraska’s community colleges play an important role in helping students acquire a good education.

“For all of these reasons, Acklie Charitable Foundation is proud to partner with Southeast Community College to offer a second year of funding through the Learn to Dream Scholarship program,” Kruse said.