From repaying student loans to tackling Mississippi’s teacher shortage, Jackson State University (JSU) is one of the first HBCUs to implement a student loan debt repayment plan.

Jackson State, a public HBCU located in the capital city of Mississippi, recently announced a new Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) to assist students who earn below $45,000 post-graduation with aid in repaying federal, private and parent PLUS loans.

“We are directly addressing the financial challenges that many of our graduates face,” said Janieth Wilson-Adams, Ph.D., Director of Undergraduate Admissions at JSU. “This initiative ensures that our students can focus on their professional aspirations and personal growth without the burden of overwhelming debt.”

In particular, LRAP will be aimed at supporting students with majors in teaching education since the state of Mississippi designated Jackson State “with a mission to train teachers” in 1940.

Jackson State now produces more than 67 percent of Black educators in Jackson.

Over the last year, Mississippi has continued to experience an alarming teacher shortage. During the 2023-2024 school year, the Mississippi Department of Education reported 5,012 vacancies for teachers, staff and administrators across the state — up from the 4,988 vacancies reported for the 2022-2023 school year.

“Our goal is to alleviate the financial burdens of our students, particularly teacher education students, enabling them to focus on their careers without the worry of student loan debt,” said Kylon Alford-Windfield, Jackson State’s Vice President of Enrollment Management, in JSU’s press release. “We are proud to lead the way in providing practical, impactful support for our students’ futures.”

The program will be available starting in the 2024-2025 academic school year for all students majoring in teacher education, as well as other incoming freshmen and transfer students as determined by Jackson State’s Office of Admissions.