Kylon Alford-Windfield had been in the workforce for six years before he made $45,000. After graduating from Mississippi Valley State University with a degree in political science, he took a job as a recruiter at a university for a year before accepting the same job at another Mississippi university for another six years. It wasn’t until he became the director of alumni affairs at his alma mater seven years later that his salary finally surpassed $45,000.
“In the state of Mississippi, and even nationally, there are a lot of individuals that don’t make $45,000,” Alfrod-Windfield said. “We seem to think that’s not normal, but there are a lot of people that have professional jobs. These are jobs that require a bachelor’s degree, (but they) don’t pay $45k.”
Now, as Jackson State University’s vice president for enrollment management, Kylon Alford-Windfield is working to help early-career professionals. The university will begin offering a loan-repayment assistance program in the fall 2024 semester. The LRAP will provide students with a post-graduate income of less than $45,000 financial assistance with repaying student loans.
“We believe that higher education is a way for social mobility so that an individual can live an enjoyable life financially and without struggling,” Alford-Windfield said. “… The LRAP offers a level of insurance or peace of mind for individuals.”
Jackson State University is the first historically Black college and university to implement such a program. The American Baptist Home Mission Society founded the college in 1877 as Natchez Seminary “for the moral, religious and intellectual improvement of Christian leaders of the colored people of Mississippi and the neighboring states.” The first enrolled class included 20 formerly enslaved men who trained to be ministers and teachers.
In 1882, the school was moved to Jackson and was later renamed Jackson College. In 1940, the State took control of the college, renamed it Jackson College for Negro Teachers and assigned it the mission of training teachers.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardon said Jackson State University “produces 67% of the Black teachers in Jackson” during his visit to the university in February 2023. Still, Mississippi suffers from a teacher shortage. Alford-Windfield said part of that shortage is due to a decline in students majoring in education. But he also said he believes that another factor is that neighboring states that pay higher salaries are actively recruiting teachers away from Mississippi.
The Mississippi Department of Education lists the base pay for teachers with a bachelor’s degree at $41,500, a master’s degree at $43,000, and a specialist degree at $44,000. The scale shows base pay for teachers with only a bachelor’s degree not reaching the $45,000 mark until year seven. However, salaries in the state vary based on a district’s supplemental pay added to teacher salaries. He hopes JSU’s new program will encourage teachers to remain in the state.
“This program incentivizes individuals to stay for a lower salary,” he said.
When announced, the program was only open to select freshmen with a distinct focus on teacher education candidates, but it is now open to all incoming freshmen in all majors.
The LRAP will pay the principal balance for up to six years of a student’s time at the university. Typically students complete a bachelor’s degree in an average of five years, Alford-Windfield said. To be eligible, graduates must complete their degree at Jackson State University, be employed in the United States or for a United States-based company, and work at least 30 hours per week. They do not have to be employed in their field of study to be eligible for the assistance.
“We are directly addressing the financial challenges that many of our graduates face,” Jackson State Director of Undergraduate Admissions Janieth Wilson-Adams said in a press release. “This initiative ensures that our students can focus on their professional aspirations and personal growth without the burden of overwhelming debt.”
Loan-repayment assistance programs also help alleviate the financial stress on families. The plan can provide payments toward federal, private alternative, and parent PLUS loans.
Alford-Windfield said the program is not only good for students but also bolsters the university’s standing.
“(This program) is increasing our marketability and can potentially increase our enrollment,” he said. “Then the other piece that helps with enrollment is the retention component. The student has to stay at Jackson State and graduate from Jackson State as a part of that contractual agreement to get that loan-repayment assistance.”