Allegheny College
10/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2026 07:58
Transfer Student Finds Education Possible Through the Commitment to Access Program
Hope Dixon '26 never thought she'd be able to return to college after having four children. The cost and time requirements associated with completing an undergraduate degree seemed in contrast with parenting.
Still, Dixon felt her degree was within reach. With her eyes set on a psychology major and Spanish minor, curiosity drove Dixon to visit Allegheny College's campus and sit in on a class taught by Assistant Professor of Psychology Nancy Frambes.
She stuck around after class to ask Frambes some questions about the department as well as the College. Soon enough, her concerns started to fade away, and a pathway forward emerged.
It's a phenomenal program with high expectations that will challenge you while still remaining understanding and flexible when life happens," Dixon said. "I couldn't have done it without the support I've found here at Allegheny.
That support came in the form of two initiatives. The first was Allegheny's Commitment to Access Program , which offers free tuition to households earning $75,000 or less, with an additional guaranteed minimum of $36,000 in need-based aid for up to eight semesters for qualifying students.
Dixon also found a solution to child care. Meadville Children's Center has tight ties to the College - Allegheny's Odd Fellows Hall housed it while Dixon was a student - and it also accepted funding from Pennsylvania's Early Learning Resources Center, which subsidizes childcare costs for adults working or pursuing an education in the Commonwealth.
Dixon was able to transfer her prior credits from Liberty University Online and officially enrolled as a Gator in fall of 2024.
"Before I came, I worried about fitting in or being treated differently because I'm at a different stage in life than most of the students here, but instead, I've made some good friends, and professors highly respect me and appreciate my contributions in class," Dixon said.
With her graduation now on the horizon, Dixon's already planning for her next academic adventure: law school.
"If you're a parent wondering whether it's too late - it isn't," she said.
Allegheny College published this content on October 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 21, 2026 at 13:58 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]