New scholarship office looking for applicants
Streamlined processes will make applying easier

By Katy Eslick · The Mainstream
Published February 8, 2011

New, easier processes such as an online application, a new coordinator, and a new office will make applying for a UCC scholarship even better.

The changes will be effective this spring, partly due to the need to adjust to the retirement of long time Financial Aid Specialist Kathy Hogan.

With these new processes, students will be required to apply online for Foundation scholarships; however for non-Foundation scholarships, students can download applications in PDF format, fill them out, print them and turn them in to the scholarship office.

The scholarship web page will also be updated to include more information about how to apply plus a checklist will make the process easier. For the non-Foundation scholarships, students will have several options for submitting application materials: the Foundation office which will be in the Tech Center, or drop boxes located in the Campus Center and the administration building.

During the open scholarship process this spring, scholarship workshops will be offered that will cover: Essay Techniques, How to Complete a Successful Application, and Interviewing for a Scholarship.

Two students currently enrolled in the UCC Registered Nursing Program have recently benefited from the A.B. McGuire Nursing Scholarships. Lorri Smith, a first year R.N. student received a scholarship award of just over $4000. She says that the award benefited her so much that she was able to quit her tutoring job and focus primarily on school.

The award not only helps pay for tuition, but also offsets costs of supplies and equipment needed for the program.

Sara Martin, a second year R.N. Student, was recently awarded just over $3000 which in addition to paying tuition pays for a $300 “Review Course Kaplan” that guarantees a 100 percent pass rate on the R.N. Licensure Application and NCLEX Exam plus the $360 for those application and exam fees.

Martin says scholarships are “great for students who don’t qualify for financial aid” due to parent income considerations on FAFSAs.

If Lorri Smith stays in the R.N. program at UCC and keeps her G.P.A. at 3.0 or higher, she will automatically qualify for the A.B. McGuire Nursing Scholarship for her second year.

Competition for the scholarships is not as stiff as students may think. “We don’t have enough students applying. We need to get the word out” Becky Robinson says. Most scholarships will open on April 1, 2011. The scholarship webpage is currently under construction but will be changed by spring.

Becky Robinson can be contacted at 541-440-7674 or rebecca.robinson@umpqua.edu.