Growing up, Chris Cannon said he always thought college would be out of the realm of possibilities for him.
In fact, Cannon was on the trajectory of going to trade school and becoming a welder before he was introduced to the River City Promise program between Gateway Community & Technical College and Northern Kentucky University. That’s when Cannon realized he wanted to be an athletic trainer, and better yet, the program would make that possible.
“It’s one of those things where I mean, a complete life-changing opportunity,” Cannon said.
The two universities announced on Nov. 17 that they are reinstituting the River City Promise program, offering free tuition and benefits for Pell-eligible high school students from participating districts in Northern Kentucky. The same program that Cannon was introduced to in 2019, when he was still at Ludlow Independent Schools.
The Federal Pell Grant is a needs-based financial aid program provided by the U.S. Department of Education to help low-income students pay for college.
Initially launched in 2020, the River City Promise program allows qualifying students to complete an associate degree at Gateway Community & Technical College with free tuition before transferring to NKU.
Currently, six Northern Kentucky school districts are participating in the program, including Bellevue, Dayton, Holmes, Lloyd, Ludlow and Newport.
“The River City Promise program is vital in strengthening our region’s workforce by meeting our region’s youth where they are and lifting them up to reach their goals,” said NKU president Cady Short-Thompson. “This partnership with Gateway will create opportunities for the future generations of Northern Kentucky, and we at NKU couldn’t be prouder to support these students on their journey to higher education.”
Cannon said he had a “crisis” moment when he was in his welding internship and realized it wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
“I wanted to just make money fast so I could help relieve the burden of myself for my parents,” he said.
When he brought the idea up to his boss, Cannon said he was very supportive of him exploring another field. In fact, Cannon still works for the same company where he initially interned to become a welder while he goes through school.
Gateway then helped him apply to the River City Promise program.
“Applied, and they said, ‘Ok, we’ll cover the rest,’” Cannon said. “I remember at that time, I was like, ‘What? You’ll cover the rest? I don’t have to pay for anything else.’ I was honestly shocked at that point. I kind of realized at that moment my life changed, my perspective shifted. I realized, oh, this dream I had isn’t just a dream. It’s actually possible now. I can actually do this.”
Cannon earned his associate’s degree in applied science at Gateway and then transferred to NKU, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, also known as exercise science. Cannon is now enrolled in the university’s graduate program for athletic training.
Since 2021, more than two dozen students have participated in the River City Promise program, with nearly half going on to enroll as full-time students at NKU. The university maintains a 100% retention rate among students who choose to continue their education at NKU after completing the program.
“Gateway is proud to partner with NKU to ensure that the next generation of Northern Kentuckians has access to the education and skills our region needs to thrive,” said Fernando Figueroa, president of Gateway Community & Technical College. “The River City Promise program opens doors for students who might not otherwise see college as an option, and it strengthens the workforce that will power our community’s future.”
In total, Cannon said he spent about $3,000 out of pocket for his bachelor’s degree.
“There are hundreds, if not thousands, of kids out there that would love to pursue either higher education or would love to at least be something more than going to a job they hate, because of a financial situation,” Cannon said. “It allows you to take that first step.”