During the Jan. 9 State of the State address, Gov. Joe Manchin proposed making changes to the successful Promise Scholarship Program, which rewards eligible students who choose to attend college in the state.

Under the proposed Promise Forgivable Student Loan Program, college graduates will be required to work in West Virginia for a set number of years in order to avoid having to reimburse the government the cost of the scholarship. Those who choose to leave the state immediately following graduation will be responsible for repaying all or part of the scholarship.

Students who have already accepted or are using the Promise Scholarship will not be affected by this legislation. Still, many students across the state are not pleased with the governor's proposed changes.

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University of Charleston freshman Scott Kinard started a Facebook group to voice his dissatisfaction with Gov. Manchin’s proposed changes. It currently has more than 750 members.

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"Governor Manchin: Keep the PROMISE! Don't Make the Scholarship a Loan" currently boasts more than 750 members representing colleges and high schools throughout the state. Many members have voiced their opinions on the group's wall (a general comment section) or its discussion forum.

Politically active groups are not uncommon on the popular social networking site. In fact, political groups tend to have the largest number of members.

"Web sites such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube have introduced thousands of students to the political process," Kinard said. "Political groups...have allowed my generation to express itself like never before."

Kinard hopes this group will be the beginning of a grass-roots effort to oppose Gov. Manchin's proposal. He hopes young people will be able to profoundly affect the end result of the bill.

"I was angry after I learned the governor wanted to change the original intent of Promise, which was to encourage more West Virginia high school graduates to attend college," said Kinard. "I created this group, ideally, for it to have enough members to send a message to the governor and Legislature in opposition to the proposed changes."

Group member Josiah Batten has taken the opposition one step further by contacting representatives in his district. "We should all fight to keep this great program from being ruined," said the Fairmont State University freshman.

However, Kurt Dudash, another FSU freshman, disagrees.

"Why should the state and the people of West Virginia pay for a student's scholarship [if that student] is not going to help the state in the long run?" he asked. "All the governor is trying to do is inject money right back into the state's economy."

Though the governor may have good intentions, many students are worried about the state's dismal job market and spiraling economy and the effect that being required to stay in the state after college graduation might have on their careers.

"Clearly our job market in West Virginia isn't at its full potential," said Leslie Thomas, a Riverside High School junior.

Richwood High School junior Elizabeth Cartwright agreed. "I don't know if I could find the type of work I need if I stayed here."

During the Jan. 9 State of the State address, Gov. Joe Manchin proposed making changes to the successful Promise Scholarship Program, which rewards eligible students who choose to attend college in the state.

Under the proposed Promise Forgivable Student Loan Program, college graduates will be required to work in West Virginia for a set number of years in order to avoid having to reimburse the government the cost of the scholarship. Those who choose to leave the state immediately following graduation will be responsible for repaying all or part of the scholarship.

Students who have already accepted or are using the Promise Scholarship will not be affected by this legislation. Still, many students across the state are not pleased with the governor's proposed changes.

University of Charleston freshman Scott Kinard has taken his displeasure to the Internet. Immediately after hearing the governor's address, Kinard created a Facebook group to give others the chance to express their concerns.

"Governor Manchin: Keep the PROMISE! Don't Make the Scholarship a Loan" currently boasts more than 750 members representing colleges and high schools throughout the state. Many members have voiced their opinions on the group's wall (a general comment section) or its discussion forum.

Politically active groups are not uncommon on the popular social networking site. In fact, political groups tend to have the largest number of members.

"Web sites such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube have introduced thousands of students to the political process," Kinard said. "Political groups...have allowed my generation to express itself like never before."

Kinard hopes this group will be the beginning of a grass-roots effort to oppose Gov. Manchin's proposal. He hopes young people will be able to profoundly affect the end result of the bill.

"I was angry after I learned the governor wanted to change the original intent of Promise, which was to encourage more West Virginia high school graduates to attend college," said Kinard. "I created this group, ideally, for it to have enough members to send a message to the governor and Legislature in opposition to the proposed changes."

Group member Josiah Batten has taken the opposition one step further by contacting representatives in his district. "We should all fight to keep this great program from being ruined," said the Fairmont State University freshman.

However, Kurt Dudash, another FSU freshman, disagrees.

"Why should the state and the people of West Virginia pay for a student's scholarship [if that student] is not going to help the state in the long run?" he asked. "All the governor is trying to do is inject money right back into the state's economy."

Though the governor may have good intentions, many students are worried about the state's dismal job market and spiraling economy and the effect that being required to stay in the state after college graduation might have on their careers.

"Clearly our job market in West Virginia isn't at its full potential," said Leslie Thomas, a Riverside High School junior.

Richwood High School junior Elizabeth Cartwright agreed. "I don't know if I could find the type of work I need if I stayed here."

However, some politicians are eager to change this. Twenty-year-old Bill Bell, a House of Delegates hopeful from Parkersburg, has a few ideas that would assist graduates with finding good jobs after graduation.

"I would be willing to propose a state organization that would work within our state's colleges that would help graduates find jobs that are consistent with their degree and field of study," he said. "Our goal should not be forcing students into jobs they don't want; we should take steps to ensure professional development."

Many colleges throughout the state currently have some sort of career service available to their students. However, many graduates still can't find suitable jobs within the state's borders.

"If students do stay in state but cannot find jobs in their field, we could have underemployment, which will have a negative effect on the economy," Batten pointed out.

"I do not want to say there are no good jobs in the state because there are," Kinard said. "Sometimes, however, it is necessary to go elsewhere for your desired career."

Kinard, who is pursuing a major in public policy and a minor in political science, does not want to miss out on opportunities that may arise outside of West Virginia's borders. "If there are opportunities in Washington, D.C., or elsewhere, I want to be able to take advantage of them," he said.

"I love West Virginia and wouldn't mind staying here all my life," Thomas said. "But I can't say what my future holds. There are too many 'what ifs' that could steer my life somewhere else."

 Creating better, higher-paying jobs in West Virginia will likely encourage more students to stay here after completing college. Bell, a Republican running for one of three available seats in the 10th District, recognizes this.

"We need to get more businesses in our state," he said simply.

"By using responsible tax incentives to attract business, we are creating more jobs for graduates to work," he continued. "If we get more jobs in the state, more students will be willing to accept the [changes in the] scholarship and work in state."

While some students see the governor's proposal as a positive thing for the state, the majority think it is unfair.

"The scholarship was originally intended to encourage the state's best students to attend college in West Virginia," Cartwright said. "This is supposed to be a scholarship, not a loan."

"To me, this situation is mildly unfair just for the fact that there is a possibility that my graduating class and succeeding graduates won't get the same opportunities as recent Promise grads," said Thomas.

Manchin's bill proposing the Promise scholarship changes is currently before the Legislature.