Jordan Abdur-Rasheed had no shortage of college scholarship offers when he graduated from Ramsay IB High School in 2023. But only one option covered the full cost of his tuition, said his mother, Yolanda Coleman.
That was the Birmingham Promise.
Birmingham Promise allows graduates of Birmingham City Schools to attend any in-state public college, tuition free, for up to four years. For Jordan, the program is covering tuition so that he can get an aerospace engineering degree from Auburn University.
“Participating in the Birmingham promise is one of the most substantial decisions a parent can make if their child is pursuing a college degree in the state of Alabama,” said Ms. Coleman. “It takes away the financial stress that can discourage students from the idea of going to college.”
In Jordan’s case, the question was never whether he would go to college. The question was how to pay for it.
“Without Birmingham Promise, Jordan’s mom, stepmom and I would have been faced with the burden of helping him navigate the financial challenges often associated with college and debt,” said Jordan’s father, Aquil Abdur-Rasheed. “Loans and other options for him and for us might have been the alternative.”
Without having to worry about the financial burdens of a college education, Jordan has been free to focus on his studies, and he has “soared academically and socially his first year at Auburn,” his father said.
In addition to resolving financial concerns, Birmingham Promise provides coaches for its scholars, and that has also been an important resource for Jordan as he adjusted to his first year away from home at college.
“Being a part of Birmingham Promise has been one of the most influential parts of my college career,” he said. “Taking advantage of the program and all of the help they give us almost makes Birmingham Promise feel like a life saver.”
That, too, is no small thing for his parents.
“It does my heart good to know that my child, my only son, is away from us but still connected to family,” Abdur-Rasheed said. “His Birmingham Promise peers and success coaches are like family as they all play a role in helping him navigate college successfully. I wish I had a village like Birmingham Promise when I was in school!”
The benefits offered by Birmingham Promise further reinforce the decision for Jordan to attend Birmingham City Schools, where he started in pre-K and “enjoyed every year.”
“I made the decision to keep Jordan in Birmingham City Schools long before the existence of Birmingham Promise,” Coleman said. “Both Jordan’s father and I are products of Birmingham City Schools, and we believed Jordan would receive the same quality education that has contributed to our successful careers.”
Still, Birmingham Promise gives parents another reason to stay in Birmingham City Schools, and Coleman said she would encourage parents in the system to explore the college options made available through the program.
“Most students will not receive a full-ride scholarship,” she said. “Birmingham Promise stands in the gap to make sure all graduating students have the opportunity to go to college with the financial assistance and support they need to be successful.”
As much as she appreciates what Birmingham Promise has done for her son, she also appreciates what it does for other students who face a range of barriers to college, including what she believes is the largest one: costs.
“The cost of college is very expensive even for a two-income household,” she said. “Birmingham Promise makes going to college a reality for so many kids that never thought they could afford college.”
If Abdur-Rasheed has a regret, it’s that Jordan’s academic and athletic schedule in high school made it impossible for him to participate in the other main component of Birmingham Promise – a paid internship program for seniors.
“As parents, we would tell other parents to engage their children in Birmingham Promise as early as possible,” Jordan’s parents said. “We believe Birmingham Promise does an amazing job of preparing students for the workforce through their high school internship program and in walking alongside our children through their collegiate journey. We are grateful!”
