QUINCY— Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker stopped by John Wood Community College Monday afternoon to discuss the state’s recently passed budget and a large increase in Monetary Award Program for higher education.

MAP grants, which do not need to be repaid, are available to eligible Illinois residents who attend approved Illinois colleges and demonstrate financial need, based on the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Pritzker, along with Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, discussed how the increase in funding would help offset student loans and allow JWCC to keep tuition flat for the 2023-24 school year.

With an additional $100 million in MAP Grant funding, everyone at or below the median income has the option to attend community college for free. This, along with a $15 million increase in funding for the AIM High merit-based scholarship, will make higher education more attainable for students across the state.

“Our new state budget officially grows direct support for higher education institutions by 7 percent, the largest in more than 20 years. And between MAP and other programs, we’ve increased in-state college scholarship funding to a record-breaking all-time high of more than $750 million,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinois has the third largest community college system in the nation – and each opens doors to higher wages, new careers, and better jobs. We’re making sure insurmountable debt doesn’t stand between working-class residents and the opportunity of a degree.”

John Wood Community College was founded in 1974 to provide residents with high-quality, low-cost higher education. The College serves a district that expands into nine counties in west central Illinois, and offers day, evening, online and open learning classes. John Wood offers a comprehensive baccalaureate transfer curriculum, with three degrees specifically designed to accommodate students transferring to four-year colleges.