Dolly Parton (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
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Dolly Parton wants to eliminate your student loans, which is why her Dollywood Parks & Resorts will pay 100% of tuition for all its employees.
Here’s what you need to know.
Student Loans
There’s another reason to love country music icon Dolly Parton. The singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and philanthropist has impacted millions of children through her Imagination Library. Now, her company, Dollywood, will pay 100% of tuition, fees and book for all its employees to go to college. It’s not too late to get a job at Dollywood.
The substantial investment in Dollywood employees comes courtesy of Herschend Enterprises, which owns Dollywood with Parton and is the nation’s largest privately-owned themed attractions corporation. “Whether it’s to pursue a new dream or advance their career with us, we care about our employees’ personal and professional growth, because we believe that their futures should be grown with love, not loans,” CEO of Herschend Enterprises Andrew Wexler said. “Our team members’ success is our success – and that’s why we’re thrilled to make this benefit available to all, regardless of their role in the company and without the burden of debt.”
This announcement comes as millions of student loan borrowers await news of student loan cancellation or the restart of student loan payments May 1, 2022. (Will student loan payments be postponed until 2023?) With 100% of tuition, fees and books paid for, eligible employees can forgo significant student loan debt that they otherwise may have incurred to pursue a college degree.
Tuition-free plan: how it works
- Overview: program is called GROW U.;
- Eligibility: available to all 11,000 eligible seasonal, part-time and full-time employees;
- How Many Programs: has more than fully-funded (100% free) diploma, degree and certificate programs across 30 learning partners;
- Education Partner: has partnered with Guild Education and Guild’s Learning Marketplace; and
- Available Programs: business administration and leadership, culinary, finance, technology, marketing and more. The company also will provide partial funding, up to $5,250 per year, for 150 additional programs in fields such as hospitality, engineering, human resources and art design.
Student loan cancellation or student loan prevention
When it comes to student loans, you can address the problem after the fact (student loan cancellation). (If Biden cancels student loans, This will happen next). Or, you can address the problem before it becomes a problem (tuition-free college). (Free college dropped from Biden agenda. Student loan cancellation may be next on the chopping block). Innovative companies understand that both strategies may work. However, companies who want to be leaders in their industry will follow in the footsteps of Parton, Herschend, Walmart and others who have committed to pay for the education of their employees. It’s a wonderful commitment to give back, provide growth and development, boost employee morale and literally change someone’s life. For those who don’t have employers that pay for their college education or provide student loan repayment, it’s important to develop a game plan to pay off student loans. This is especially important since temporary student loan relief is ending soon. If you have student loans, now is the time to prepare for student loan repayment. Here are some popular ways to pay off student loans faster:
