The deadline for applications for more than 500 scholarships worth in excess of $300,000 is Oct. 16.
Eligibility includes completion of 12 units or more with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
These scholarships can pay for class registration fees, books and other expenses. Some are for transfer students and can be applied to the transferring institutions.
“I did not know too much about the requirements for the scholarships, so I never applied. But now that I have actually taken time to see how it works out, I am planning to apply,” said Michelle Sov, 19.
Andy Kenareki, 21, an alumnus of GCC, won the Glendale Community College Foundation Award in 2009. He said he was surprised about winning because it took such a long time before he was notified, but he was honored and excited. He spent the money on books for all his classes.
There is a wide range of scholarships available which allows a chance for diverse students in their academic level or field of study to apply. Scholarships such as the General Scholarships, the Associatesd Students of Glendale Community College and Re-Entry Program are just a few. Other scholarships include arts, chemistry, computer science, education, and engineering.
However, students are not limited to a scholarship that only applies to their major. said Susan Borquez-Dougherty, the Scholarship Program manager.
The application process itself encourages students to apply because of its simplicity. The application is found at the scholarship office Web site which requires basic info such as a student’s address, residency status and a couple of questions about their educational goal. A letter of recommendation from a faculty member and a short personal essay are also part of the application process.
The application is limited to once a year. The scholarships are awarded in the fall and spring semesters. They are presented to the winning students personally, at award banquets or organization meetings.
Individual sponsors and GCC scholarship committee faculty are the judges for the potential scholarship winners. The scholarship office also uses a software program that analyzes the application, and categorizes it based on the scholarship’s criteria. If the application complements a certain type of criteria from a scholarship, then the application is sent to the donor.
Glendale has the largest scholarship offering in the state. Some individual scholarships are worth several thousand dollars, according to the scholarship office.
Donors range from companies, organizations, and people who want to assist students who are in financial need and want to help students pursue their educational goals.
Some donors also establish a scholarship to memorialize a loved one, and to honor a family member or a friend.
One of the many complimentary donors is the Crane Fund, which contributes $10,000 each year. Another organization that assists the scholarships is the Patrons Club, made up of retired GCC classified staff. The members of Patrons Club spend their time raising money for scholarships and so far 50 scholarships are available for students said Dougherty.
There are two types of donation plans: either annual or perpetual. The annual plan donor invests funds on their own, and sends the gains as a contribution for a scholarship.
The perpetual plan is administered by the Glendale Community Foundation (GCF) that maintains scholarship accounts and manages them. The donor sends a specific sum of money to the GCF, and the Financial group invests the money, and whatever sum of money is gained from the interest rate, is addressed for scholarships.
“Some students that have been here for two years don’t know we have a scholarship program,” said Dougherty. According to the last student survey, only 60 percent of students knew about the program.
When Dougherty first took the job as manager, her goal was to inform students about the program and get as many students as possible to apply for scholarships. She promotes the program with flyers outside the Student Affairs office, and by going to Student Development classes.