Month: March 2026

Birmingham Promise: A pathway for students to pursue passion and purpose

Posted on March 23, 2026

Stacie Person knows all too well what it’s like to graduate from college in debt, with a degree that doesn’t provide the opportunities you expect, in a field you end up having to abandon.

Ms. Person saw the same story — spending years paying off loans for a college degree — play out in the lives of her friends, family, and even her own. It was not a story she wanted to see repeated in the life of her only child, Elise Robinson. “For me, my biggest thing is now that I’m 39, I can reflect on things and opportunities I wish I had,” Ms. Person said. “Not just what I want for my kid, but for all kids.”

Thanks to Birmingham Promise, Ms. Person sees a different kind of future unfolding for Elise and her friends from Birmingham City Schools. In 2024, two decades after Ms. Person graduated from Faulkner University with a degree in criminal justice, Elise graduated from Ramsay High School with a promise of four years of college, tuition-free.

With ongoing help from Birmingham Promise, Elise is wrapping up her sophomore year at the University of Alabama, where she is majoring in psychology and minoring in human development and family studies. It’s a big switch from Elise’s initial plans of studying architectural engineering – but it’s also in line with her true passions and what her mother believes will lead to a more fulfilling life.

“It made me proud. I have recently come to believe that it’s a mistake to start out chasing the dollar. If you do what you love, the money will come,” she said. “Elise has always loved children. She is phenomenal with kids. It was not a shock to me to see her change majors to something more fulfilling and something more in line with her as a person.”

The switch also aligns with the career experience Elise received as part of the Birmingham Promise paid internship program. The semesters she spent as an intern at the Birmingham Board of Education gave her a first-hand glimpse of careers dedicated to children. Elise, who worked at Girls Inc. and participated in its Project Accelerate Program, brought those work experiences, mentors and values into her college and career paths. She is now engaging in opportunities for a career in child development.

To Ms. Person, Birmingham Promise is a key reason Elise has the flexibility to pursue her passion and purpose without the heavy financial burden of paying for school. “She can do this because she won’t have that debt to carry on,” Ms. Person said. “She is getting an opportunity to chase what she is called to do.”

Ms. Person speaks from experience.

For 15 years, she worked outside her degree field as an insurance claims adjuster, a job that paid well and provided financial stability. But as her multiple sclerosis symptoms worsened, she realized she was unfulfilled and unhappy in the space that she was in. She resigned and took time off from working to rediscover what she truly desired to do.  Ms. Person is now working as a coordinator at a nonprofit in west Birmingham focused on community development.

Although the pay is less, the personal payoff is greater.  She now feels fulfilled and purposeful from being able to make a difference. “I’m at peace,” she said.

Ms. Person is truly grateful for how Birmingham Promise has filled in the financial gap and provided professional development opportunities for Elise.

What more could a mother want? Elise is well on her way.

“My hope is that she graduates from school debt-free and that she lands a job where she has fulfillment,” Ms. Person said. “It’s not about what you have. It’s about being a well-rounded human on this earth.”

Ramsay grad: Birmingham Promise made full college experience possible

Posted on March 18, 2026

A life’s journey can be shaped by a few forks in the road. Ennis Rhetta Jr. said his life took an important turn when he was accepted into Phillips Academy, one of Birmingham’s most challenging schools. There, Ennis found his passion in STEM studies, and it was reinforced after he was accepted to Ramsay IB High School. At Ramsay, he was selected for a mentorship program involving technical careers, where he shadowed architects and met project managers. By the time he graduated, he knew he wanted to be an engineer.

Ennis looked at several colleges, but he had his heart set on Auburn University – an option that was made possible by Birmingham Promise. Now in his junior year, Ennis sees Birmingham Promise as a key that not only allowed him to go to his choice of colleges, but also to get the full benefit of his time on campus.

Ennis grew up in a working-class family on Birmingham’s West Side. While an older sister  graduated from college, his parents did not. Ennis knows how much his parents sacrificed to give him opportunities they didn’t have, and he knows how much college costs. He recalls seeing bills from Auburn before Birmingham Promise aid was applied.  “You’re kind of overwhelmed about how much it really does cost to be here,” he said.

 He doesn’t want his parents to feel that weight on their shoulders.

“My parents always told me they wanted better for me. But I don’t want to have to ask them to take out a loan so that I can go to college. I don’t want them to ever even see a bill,” he said. “Without Birmingham Promise, they’d try to find a way.  But I would be making every decision based on what’s cost-effective, what makes the most sense, what can I do that would not create a burden.

“Knowing that Birmingham Promise has that cost covered, it allows me to experience college without the stress of what the cost is. You can perform better, and you’re able to do more and be more.”

In just one example, Ennis is participating in a co-op program with Brasfield & Gorrie, a giant Birmingham-based construction firm. The ongoing internship extends over three semesters, and while it’s providing invaluable experience, it’s a time commitment that will push back his college graduation date.

“Without Birmingham Promise, I don’t know that I would be able to afford to do that,” he said.

In addition to giving Ennis the freedom to soar, Birmingham Promise has also provided critical support at his lowest times.

“I don’t want to imply that I’ve passed every class with flying colors,” he said. “Those are the times when you need success coaches that tell you a failed class doesn’t mean you’re done. It doesn’t mean it’s over. College is a series of bumps and hurdles and challenges for you to overcome.”

Ennis said those cheerleaders can be the difference between starting college and actually getting a degree.

“I would tell students to believe in yourself but also believe in the people that’s believing in you. Because when life gets to you, and you start to worry and you start to doubt whether you’re where you need to be, you’ve got to have people around you who support you and who see your potential and who can help keep you on track to your goals,” he said. “That’s how you finish college. You think you can do college alone? You can’t.”

His parents taught him it takes a village to raise a child, and Ennis sees his experience with Birmingham Promise as an example of that. It also inspires him to rise to the challenge of helping the young people coming behind him.

Last year, Ennis joined a team of Birmingham Promise students from multiple campuses that put together an event called Stay Well/Stay Warm to talk to high school students about mental health and to distribute winter supplies for the community.  Pulling the event together, and seeing the impact, made a lasting impression.

“It was just an invaluable experience,” he said.

While he hopes to have his own children someday, and he hopes that they will have an easier path because of his college experience,  he also wants to do his part to ensure the  same opportunities for other people’s children.

“I’ll always be grateful to Birmingham Promise, and I’m going to do my best to give back in my capacity,” he said. “It means a lot to me to know there’s a constant wave of kids that are out there who maybe have a story similar to mine, and who can benefit from this program.”

Birmingham Promise keeps first-generation college student on track toward degree

Posted on March 13, 2026

For Madison Rembert, dreams of college were born and nurtured through the Magic City Classic. Watching the festivities around the country’s largest HBCU football game every year, Madison picked her team — Alabama State University – and dreamed of being a student there someday.

She had the grades for college. But having the money for college? That was a different story. Madison thought her involvement with the dance and flag team at Wenonah High School would be her ticket to a college degree. But as her high school career approached an end in 2023, she learned of a better path.

Birmingham Promise made it possible for Madison to work toward her dreams. She is now a junior at Alabama State, majoring in computer information systems and preparing for what she hopes is a career in cyber security.

“Without Birmingham Promise, I would have probably dropped out of college and gone home by now,” she said. “Tuition is high, and it keeps getting higher. I think at some point, it would have been too much.”

Going to college without going into debt is no small thing. But the program also provides Madison – a first-generation college student – much-needed shot of confidence that she has what she needs to complete her degree.

“For my family, there is only so much advice they can give me about how to make it through college. I hope to be that kind of role model for my little siblings. But for me, I had to break that barrier, and I had to go through it myself,” she said. “Birmingham Promise gives me that little hope that I can finish college.”

Her family and especially her mother offer great support, but she also gives plenty of credit to her Birmingham Promise success coach who also helps keep her on track.

“I have never had anyone who cared so much about my success, not even when I was in high school,” Madison said. “He has been just the most amazing person to me.”

That coach, Coach Glenn, checks in on her academic progress and her overall well-being. He encourages her to build on her strengths, like using her computer skills to get proficient in graphic design. And he finds opportunities for her to overcome weaknesses and fears, like public speaking.

Glenn also hosted meetings that put Madison in touch with other Birmingham Promise students at Alabama State, which provided welcome connections where she could get good college tips as well as emotional support.

“It helps just to talk to people who know what you’re going through,” she said. “As a junior, I’m now in a position to pay it forward, to help freshmen who are having problems with professors and advisors and classes.”

She encourages all students in Birmingham City Schools to apply for Birmingham Promise.

While there are other scholarships – and Madison applied for those, too – they came with higher hurdles like essays and videos. Birmingham Promise provides students a straightforward way to achieve their dreams, if they’re willing to do their part in the classroom.

 “For me, academic barriers were never the problem. My GPA is very high,” she said. “Birmingham Promise is life-changing. It’s a very easy outlet to get into. If anyone wants to see what it’s about, I would say look at me and see what it has done for me.”

UA student: Primed for success with Birmingham Promise coach

Posted on March 9, 2026

When it came to paying for college, Ra’Kiyah Williams was lucky. Her father, a veteran, had contributed to an education fund under a military program that comes with a 2-to-1 match from the federal government.

That largely covered Ra’Kiyah’s expenses at the University of Alabama, where she is a few short months away from completing a degree in public health.

But that didn’t mean Birmingham Promise had no role to play in the 2022 Ramsay graduate’s journey through college. The program helped fill in some important gaps on college expenses. More importantly, it provided a success coach who turned out to be a lifeline for Ra’Kiyah.

“It really helped me when I started working with J.J.,” Ra’Kiyah said, referring to Birmingham Promise success coach Jamesia Jackson.

As the first in her family to attend and finish college, Ra’Kiyah felt a lot of pressure to succeed. She appreciated the way her success coach checked on her and made sure she was on top of her studies. But perhaps even more importantly, her success coach leaned in on issues that went beyond academics: Things like connecting Ra’Kiyah to opportunities for community service. And helping her find resources such as food assistance. And making a connection to a therapist when Ra’Kiyah found herself struggling.

“It was really a lot of stuff going on personally, things that had nothing to do with school but were really creating a lot of stress for me,” Ra’Kiyah said. “I told J.J., ‘Look, I need help,’ and she connected me with the right resources. I got a great therapist who has helped me a lot. I’m doing great now; I’m not gonna lie.”

Whether college expenses are a top concern or a secondary concern, Ra’Kiyah encourages students to stay connected with their success coach. “It’s so good to have someone check in on you,” she said. “Not everyone has someone to do that.”

But she encourages students to go farther. “Get more engaged with Birmingham Promise,” she advises. “Go to meetings. Use their resources.”

As she approaches college graduation in May, Ra’Kiyah feels a mixture of apprehension and pride.

“My parents are so proud of me. My mom tells me every day,” she said. “But I’m also proud of myself. A degree means a lot to me.”

But, then, life awaits.

While in college, Ra’Kiyah worked as an intern with the Jefferson County Department of Health, and she feels that experience will put her in good stead in the job market. She also has built connections in organizations like the National Society of Black Women in Medicine; she serves as the UA chapter secretary. But embarking on a career is still daunting.

The good news? Birmingham Promise continues  to be a resource for students as they make the transition from campus to  workforce. “It feels good to know that I can still reach out,” she said.