One part of college that every student has in common is their responsibility to pay tuition. Using every resource to continue their education and earn their desired degree takes patience, time, and support. How do you find a moment to do that when working 35 or more hours a week? Scholarships offer freedom from relying on wages, meaning you can afford schooling without feeling burnt out. Nobody should suffer from that stress when pursuing a successful career. Taking the initiative is a sign of a committed learner, and with TMCC's roster of opportunities to help you, you're one step closer to that graduation stage.
Awakening a Pure Interest in Knowledge
The TMCC Foundation annually offers a wide variety of scholarships to students, including both general and program-specific support. Read on to learn about some unique opportunities for students who qualify:
The Marilyn Pearson Johnson Refugee Scholarship is for displaced individuals arriving in the U.S. as part of their resettlement program. For those who have recently arrived and may be facing hardships, this opportunity brings funds to support your education, so you may concentrate your work on your classes instead of paying for them. Learning has the power to bring people together, a sacred gift spanning generations in hopes of building a resilient, nurturing, and equitable world.
The William N. Pennington Applied Technology Center has dozens of ACE Charter High School graduates yearly, inventive and innovative youthful personalities taking their skills to the next level with firsthand experiences at TMCC. This Spring, a novel scholarship is in the works to strengthen the worthwhile transition from secondary to postsecondary schooling at the College next Fall. To understand the fundamentals and enroll early, faculty and staff oversee their progress, becoming an irreplaceable source of inspiration and guidance. Who knows? They could work so diligently they land a William N. Pennington Applied Tech Scholarship, their future profession involving intuitive design methods for modern technologies.
Similarly, the brand-new Pre-Nursing scholarship aims to assist students who have completed their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and are working on their prerequisites to enter the Maxine Jacobs Nursing Program. There’s much excitement and buzz surrounding the benefits this will have in the lives of those CNAs on track already, a campaign of emails priming their folders with the announcement. Wielding extra cash makes it easier to purchase books and supplies, like the required scrubs you’ll need to collaborate with your peers on assignments in simulated training environments. With money from the Pennington Nursing Scholarship, some even procure stethoscopes for their curriculum. No matter which syllabus surfaces on your desk, ensure you set aside a day to register for courses and inquire after applications that could ease the monetary cost of everyday burdens.
Scholarship applications opened on Jan. 1 and will be available through March 1, the deadline incentivizing students to turn in their submissions earlier rather than later. With an average award amount of $1,100, the Foundation and Grants Office consistently discovers benefactors and organizations across northern Nevada invested in your future. The steps are cake, too!
Don’t Just Stand There, Make It Happen!
Samantha Bellwood, Scholarship Manager, is your direct correspondent when receiving a scholarship, discussing the simplicity of filling out a form online, dedicated philanthropy efforts within our community, and developing your professional network as a perk for the conscientious academic.
“The process is super easy. It shouldn’t take students any longer than 15 minutes. All applicants must answer two questions in the general application. ‘What is your financial need?’ ‘What does the scholarship mean to you?’ That helps us determine who is struggling financially; many scholarships focus on that component,” Bellwood said.
“Watch for other opportunities. Even if they have an extra question, they could be something you qualify for, but apply for the ones you know you qualify for, too. Don’t waste your time filing as an applicant where you don’t meet the requirements,” continued Bellwood.
If you're looking for financial support, the Financial Aid website links to external scholarships available for you, too. Every penny counts, and that's why dealing with parties outside of the Foundation to rack up compensation is a genius play. For instance, the Reno Rodeo Foundation has one up currently, a representative sending a check to TMCC with your name on it if eligible. With services to comb through pages of promising leads, you can accumulate more economic respite with a favorable outlook for the semester.
The generosity of donors constitutes much more than their selfless act of charity; it leaves an impression on the next generation, instilling their peers, family, friends, and colleagues with altruism, giving to the priceless institution of higher education, creating millions of graduates nationally within every twelve months, their revolutionary abilities bringing dynamic solutions to contemporary challenges. Events like the Legacy Scholarship Reception are a marvelous way to express gratitude for their kindness and gain worthwhile connections with experts in your field.
“I know I’ve said this in classes, trying to encourage students, ‘Still apply! Attend this reception and answer these post-acceptance questions to keep your scholarship. When you do that and meet your donor, you’re helping the next person come out from behind you.’ That patron will continue to give,” Bellwood said.
“The Legacy Scholarship Reception is an opportunity for students to meet their donors, and sometimes they are business owners. Sala Dentistry is the perfect example; they choose their scholarship recipients, sit with them at a table, and become potential employers for dental hygienists or assistants. You are networking right there. That’s your prospective future job after graduation. Donors do this because they want to be philanthropic, but it’s also a pipeline of people who could work for them,” continued Bellwood.
An aura drifts across campus during January that rejuvenates our spirit and motivates us to accomplish goals that may have fallen through in the previous annual odyssey: a clean slate and a fresh beginning to the new year. What are your resolutions? Whatever they are, TMCC is here to uplift you and your experience through passionate professors, immersive exercises, and renowned discipline practices. Get the scholarship you deserve by applying today, and be at peace knowing you’ve taken the right step towards a fulfilling college education.
For more information, please visit the Scholarship website.