Do you have a child thinking about college?

Many Johns Hopkins employees know that the university offers a tuition grant to help with the financial part of sending a child to college, but they could still use some help with the getting in part.

"We want to ensure our colleagues have vital information about how to access higher education for their young people," says Alicia Wilson, vice president for economic development. "We want faculty and staff to have knowledge about how to finance an education, how to apply for college, and how to advise even their middle school students on the college process. It is our intention that everyone has access to the information that will allow for them to truly access college."

Wilson is working with the HR Benefits team to offer employees more support with the college planning process, starting with the university's first College Access Day, to be held on Saturday, Feb. 8. The event will be from 8:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Turner Concourse on the East Baltimore campus, and employees are encouraged to register online.

CollegeBound, a Baltimore-based organization, will lead seminars for parents of middle school and high school students. Topics will include important dates and checklists, how grades matter, taking the SAT/ACT, and the overall college application process, as well as an overview of financial aid and scholarships.

Participants who qualify for the Johns Hopkins Tuition Grant Plan will be able to get more information about that program, which applies to full-time undergraduate studies at an accredited degree-granting institution. For each eligible employee, the plan pays 50% of each dependent child's full-time undergraduate tuition and eligible fees, up to a maximum of half of Johns Hopkins University's first-year undergraduate tuition.

Breakfast and lunch will be offered at College Access Day, and parking will be validated for the Washington Street Garage. Employees with questions can contact the JHU Benefits Service Center at benefits@jhu.edu or 410-516-2000, and anyone who cannot attend but is interested in future opportunities to learn more about college access can share their contact information through an online form.

"Johns Hopkins deeply values education, and we are proud to offer significant support for our employees to see their children get a college degree," Wilson says. "Now, we are working to make sure everyone has the information they need to make the access point feel real and within their reach."