By Ilhan Raage
Editor-in-Chief
The scholarship portal through the RCTC Foundation opened Dec. 28, offering a variety of† awards to incoming, returning and graduating students.†
ìApplying for scholarships can feel really defeating, especially if youíve applied before and not received one,î said Lydia Hansen, a 2018 alumna of RCTC. ìBut you have to keep a plan and you have to keep trying. You have to keep putting your name out there. I didnít get the biggest scholarships, but if you get a handful of smaller scholarships, like I did, it can add up pretty significant financial help.î
ìDonít miss the small scholarships. $500 can go a long way to cover your tuition or your books, and it can free your budget to cover other expenses out of school,î Hansen added, along with encouraging students to apply to scholarships even if they are leaving RCTC. ìWhen I transferred away from RCTC to go to Hamline University this past fall, they gave me a $3,000 scholarship to bring with me. That was a huge help.î
All the scholarships are made possible by donors, and there are a few new scholarships this year.†
The foundation has received more than $14,000 from AT&T to provide $1,000 scholarships to 14 students pursuing STEM and construction careers, and for students who currently own a small business or plan to start one after graduation, said Deb Ward, executive director of the RCTC Foundation.†
Additional new scholarships available this year include the Prichard-Hassan Scholarship, the English Department Scholarship, the Allen and Marcella Ista Memorial Scholarship, the Park Dental Foundation Scholarship, and the Ruth Guy Scholarship.
Incoming students must be admitted to RCTC to create a scholarship profile and apply for scholarships, Ward said. All students are asked to use their RCTC email address as their contact. Students should only create one profile.†
As encouragement for students considering applying for scholarships, Hansen advised to ìstart preparing your application now. A winning scholarship essay canít be thrown together overnight. Give yourself your best chance by putting thought and effort into it.î
The scholarship portal, which is open through Feb. 15, is found at www.rctc.edu/foundation/scholarships.