(ABC 6 News) – On Tuesday, Riverland Community College announced all high school graduates in Freeborn County are eligible to receive free tuition to Riverland.

“Post-secondary education, so two-year schools or two-year transfer opportunities, are really what Riverland specializes in,” said Janelle Koepke, a Riverland College spokesperson. “We really want students to take advantage of this scholarship, because it means a career pathway that they can explore here locally.”

For some, what may have seemed like only a dream has now become reality, if they can meet the academic requirements set forth by the college.

“It creates access and opportunity for underserved students to consider education, and it creates a pathway for students to go straight into careers,” said Koepke. “It really impacts the local workforce as well, because we here at Riverland have really strong relationships with local employers.”

The move couldn’t come at a better time, with higher education seeming impossible for underprivileged students and President Joe Biden offering incremental student debt relief.

Riverland offers over 100 different pathways for students to choose from.