Thomas University officials today introduced “Level Up,” a career stimulus program to help those whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19.  Individuals who have lost their jobs, had their work hours drastically reduced or been furloughed due to the effects of COVID-19 are eligible to receive a 30 percent discount off the price of tuition for online undergraduate programs.

“If your employment has been negatively impactedbecause of the coronavirus, TU is offering a special tuition rate,” said Dr. Andy Sheppard, TU President. “It works like a career stimulus plan. The avenue is a pathway to a college degree or a certification by studying online.”

Susan Backofen, Vice President for Enrollment Management, said, “We realize how COVID-19 has reshaped our employment market. For those negatively impacted due to COVID-19, we want to offer them the opportunity to retool their skill sets and prepare for employment when we get back to work. TU wants to help families get back on their feet and have a successful future.”

To be eligible, students must show documentation that they lost their jobs or had their work hours reduced due to the COVID-19. The tuition discount applies to both full-time and part-time students. Students are also encouraged to apply for other state and federal financial aid programs. If the student’s or family’s employment situation has changed since applying for financial aid, TU will review income adjustments due to COVID-19.  The program will run through the 2020-21 academic year (summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021) and will be re-evaluated as the current economic situation unfolds.

“I know that going to school isn’t the same as a paycheck, but in the words of my old boss, don’t just sit around and wait for something to happen,” Sheppard said. “When we go back to work, go back stronger.”

Thomas University offers a variety of additional opportunities for adults to earn college credit, including prior college courses, life experience, corporate training and military service in addition to testing options, such as College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement Program (AP) and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DSST/DANTES). For more information about these programs, visit www.thomasu.edu/become-a-student/advanced-credit/.

“We understand that many of our students have additional family obligations because of the circumstances of COVID-19,” Backofen said. “Our online classes are already asynchronous, so students can do the classwork at a time that is convenient for them and not have to adhere to a specific time for each class meeting.”

In addition to the online undergraduate programs, TU is also offering a 20 percent discount on its certification preparation offerings in a variety of areas such as project management, cyber security and cloud computing. More information is available at www.thomasu.edu/certification-training/.