Last week, The Saint Anselm College Office of Admissions announced the Anselmian Community Commitment, a pledge to “to support New Hampshire’s students with access to a high-quality education tuition-free.” 

Specifically, this program offers free tuition to New Hampshire residents with a GPA of 3.25 or higher and a family income of $100,000 or less. Alongside income requirements and academic standings, the criteria to be eligible for free tuition extends to apply to residential students.

 While this offer does not include room and board and additional fees, nor does it include indirect costs such as textbooks, supplies, and other expenses, it is a strikingly competitive proposal for a private school. 

When asked how this initiative works with previous Financial Aid offerings, Vice President of Enrollment Steve Goetsch explained that “the Anselmian Community Commitment takes a financial aid packaging process that we have done in the past for a segment of Anselmian students from NH and gives it a name. The naming and branding of the program has allowed us to start to combat the myth within many NH households that a Saint Anselm College education is financially unobtainable.”

President Favazza further elaborated that this past year, Saint A’s was already able to provide students with this level of financial assistance. The Anselmian Community Commitment promotes the College’s previously utilized combination of federal and state grants to make this low-price accessible for students.

In a time when many families find college education inaccessible, effectively marketing the resources the college has to offer certain New Hampshire students is a top priority of Saint A’s. 

When asked how this initiative aligns with the College’s mission of outreach and service, President Favazza acknowledged how Saint Anselm’s history of serving the immigrant communities of Manchester fulfills the school’s Catholic and Benedictine mission. In an interview with Fred Kocher of WMUR 9, broadcasted Sept. 22, Favazza said “we were founded to serve low-income students of Manchester and around,” and “it’s who we are,” regardless of how much the college has evolved. 

In that same interview, the continued and foreseeable competitiveness with New Hampshire colleges is discussed, as well as the question of the importance of college itself. Favazza said, “our mission at Saint Anselm is to prepare students not only for career outcomes, but for what we call life outcomes,” pointing to the competitiveness and incentive to provide free tuition. 

President Favazza also remarked on how this initiative aligns with New Hampshire’s movement to keep high school graduates in New Hampshire. While not officially associated with any outside programs, the Anselmian Community Commitment compliments other programs in New Hampshire dedicated to retaining youth in the Granite State, providing them with pathways to stay and start a career here. 

The launch of this program aligns with other actions Saint Anselm has taken to solidify enrollment in an era where many small colleges are facing financial challenges. President Favazza explained that Saint Anselm is “using not one strategy, but a variety” of methods to solidify the College’s outreach.

“For the past 3 incoming classes, the enrollment team has met and exceeded their goals regarding new first-year and transfer students.  Any new idea, academic program, event, or marketing plan is designed to help Saint Anselm College stay competitive,” said Steven Goestech. 

This tuition program certainly keeps Saint A’s competitive, allowing the private college to offer a package comparable to, if not stronger than, other public colleges in New Hampshire.

“We learned this year that our financial aid packages for the students who meet the criteria were more competitive/better offers than some of the NH State institutions.” added Goestech.

President Favazza explained his desire to “make sure students know” that a private liberal arts education at Saint A’s is a strong option for these eligible New Hampshire students. 

For those unclear on the messaging of the Community Commitment, Steve Goetsch confirmed that “this is not a new financial aid packaging program, many of our current New Hampshire Anselmian students have the level of aid that this program offers. It is a way of marketing and getting the word out to New Hampshire families that a Saint Anselm College education is affordable.” 

President Favazza reiterated that any further inquiries can be directed to the Admissions Office, emphasizing the College’s desire to be in contact with any interested students.