Scholarships provide a boost
Amy English worked in a factory, a pharmacy, a coffee shop and a large retail store before she decided to go back to school at Lakes Region Community College ten years after she graduated from high school.
Michelle Libby works two jobs while holding up her studies and Jade Hann refers to the days she doesn’t head to her full time job and class as a “day off” despite the fact that she dedicates most of that time to doing homework.
English, Libby and Hann come from different backgrounds but the one thing they do have in common is a drive to pursue courses of studies that will help them land jobs that fulfill their personal interests and not just present them with a paycheck.
On Thursday the three women were among 20 students who were awarded scholarships from the Lakes Region Management Club — a nonprofit group dedicated to education and providing support to the leaders of its 35-plus representative companies.
Each year the LRMC partners with Lakes Region Community College in Laconia to offer funding support to students who are tasked with submitting applications that support their need for financial assistance and their drive to succeed.
This year’s ceremony at the community college saw the 20 students sharing $18,000 in scholarship funds, which are provided through the LRMC and a matching state grant.
English, 28, of Franklin received a scholarship to help her continue a two-year program of studies that will allow her a double-major in accounting and computer technologies.
The longtime Massachusetts resident graduated from St. Peter-Marian High School in Worcester with little idea of what she wanted to do with her life and spent 10 years figuring out that she needed further education to advance.
“I worked in a CVS, a Wal-Mart, a Dunkin’ Donuts and a factory. They were a lot of menial jobs and I just never found my niche in life [and] when you don’t have a chance for advancement it’s not a job you want to keep,” said English.
English said she always had the support of her family and husband and eventually came to a point where she knew it was time to go back to school.
She said Lakes Region Community College offered an affordable means of obtaining degrees that she hopes will take her to Southern New Hampshire University for her bachelor’s degree and somewhere else for a master’s.
English said she has always been taking apart electronic devices since she was a child so computer technology was an easy choice.
Now she is adding an education in marketing to her course of studies in the hope of moving toward business management and she credited her interest to Max Brown, a business professor at the college.
English works as a bookkeeper for Pizza Market of Franklin and spends her free time attending classes.
“It works well and my husband is very supportive,” said English.
Jade Hann, 19, attended high school in Vermont but made her way to the Lakes Region to attend college near her father, a Laconia resident.
She works at a local restaurant as a waitress and is attending the community college to obtain an education in business management, which she hopes will take her to a career working in a hotel.
Hann said her family did not have the ability to provide her a lot of financial support, so the local community college offered her a great chance to put herself through school.
She is confident she made the right choice and a broad interest in business has her looking to get into the banking or hospitality industry.
“Money was the big problem for me but I knew I always wanted to go [to college]. I like it here because it has small classes,” said Hann, adding that she would likely be intimidated at a huge school.
Hann said she works a full-time job while attending school and her days off are usually spent studying.
She said student loans help with her tuition but she works to pay for an apartment, a car and her school books.
Hann said the LRMC scholarship is just another boost in allowing her to attend school.
“It’s a good amount to me,” said Hann.
Michelle Libby, 20, graduated from Newfound Regional High School in 2006 and decided to attend Lakes Region Community College because it was close to home and affordable.
She noted that she is essentially paying her own way through school and, like Hann, will graduate in May, only her career goal has her seeking to run an office and service computers.
Libby works two full-time jobs while attending class and she said school is a struggle she relishes for the doors it will open.
The Newfound graduate serves as a cook at a local breakfast spot and works at Dunkin’ Donuts at night — a job she says is convenient in terms of the hours and the free coffee to help her stay up and study. She said the LRMC scholarship is big in taking a little more of the “stress” off her in terms of supporting her education.
When asked about how she spends her free time, she laughed.
“I don’t have enough time to do my homework, nevermind go hang out with anyone,” said Libby.
All of the above students are taking a full schedule of five to six courses while holding down jobs.
They say the students at the college are generally dedicated individuals of varying backgrounds looking to get ahead through hard work.
English said the idea of “cliques” doesn’t exist at Lakes Region Community College, with younger students bonding with older ones.
Libby is friends with Hann but noted that she has close friends from the school in their 50s.
All three women credited the dedication and personalized approach of their teachers as having a huge impact on their lives.
“These people know what they are teaching,” said Libby.
Their drive to succeed is said to be not uncommon at a school that has broadened its educational offerings in recent years.
Larry Mosbrucker, the general manager of Steele Hill Resort and president of the LRMC, said his scholarship committee is always impressed by those seeking financial support for their endeavors.
“It’s tear-jerking to hear some of the stories [the students] have … a single mother with three kids [going to school] and living on almost nothing,” explained Mosbrucker.
Students applying for the scholarships are first qualified by the school as meeting financial aid requirements and then are judged primarily on their grades and an essay.
They receive up to $2,000 depending on the grade they get from the scholarship committee.
Mosbrucker noted that all the money raised by the LRMC goes directly back to the community college to support students.
State’s college scholarship fund out of luck
Florida either has too many smart students, or not enough people playing the lottery.
The state’s Bright Futures scholarship program, funded through the Florida Lottery, cannot keep afloat with increased demand and rising tuition costs.
What started a decade ago with scholarships for 42,319 Florida students has swelled into a program paying tuition bills for 148,631 college students, many of whom could not afford college without the scholarships. The annual cost has risen accordingly, from $70 million to $347 million last year.
State leaders had planned to begin tweaking Bright Futures this spring, but the Board of Governors announced Thursday it would sideline that discussion to focus on broader budget shortfalls.
“We will hold off on that conversation until we get a signal from legislative leadership that the scholarship program is coming under legislative review,” Board of Governors Chairwoman Carolyn Roberts said in a press release. “We want to contribute to the work of the Legislature, not hinder its efforts in this important session or create a distraction from the resolution of the serious budget issues facing the State University System and the rest of Florida’s government.”
All high school graduates with B averages and good test scores qualify for Bright Futures scholarships, which pay up to 100 percent of tuition and fees at state colleges and also some money for textbooks.
Prior to shelving discussion of Bright Futures reform, Florida Education Chancellor Mark Rosenberg proposed freezing scholarship funding at $400 million annually during the next four years. Here were specifics from his proposal:
• Shift $100 million into scholarships for students with financial need.
• Earmark $100 million for students majoring in high-demand fields of science, technology, engineering, math, education and allied health.
• Maintain $200 million for merit-based scholarships to be divided by the number of recipients instead of a set dollar amount.
“Changing Bright Futures is the only way to save it,” Rosenberg wrote in his proposal. “As it is currently operated, it cannot be sustained and is a major reason that Florida’s tuition is the lowest in the country, threatening the quality of the education that is provided to our students.”
Florida created Bright Futures in 1997 as a way to keep top academic prospects in the state. Meg Krieg, guidance counselor at Estero High School, said it has worked.
“We have quite a few kids counting on it,” said Krieg, who last week brought in Estero’s senior class to apply for Bright Futures. “For some of them, it makes a huge difference on if they’re able to attend college.”
Florida Gulf Coast University estimates tuition and fees for the average student at $3,738, just a fraction of the $15,679 annual bill when factoring in books, room and board, transportation and personal expenses. Students can cut costs in half, however, by living at home with their parents.
Krieg said many students look toward Bright Futures as their first scholarship option, supplementing expenses by pursuing local scholarships or grants. Others are turning toward Edison College, where students can stretch their dollars by knocking out general education courses at a lower cost before enrolling in a four-year university. Edison estimates annual tuition and fees for a full-time student at $2,120.
“It’s a bargain any way you put it,” said Bob Jones, Edison’s Lee County campus president.
Lehigh Senior High School student Julie Weber, 18, said she probably could not afford college without Bright Futures, and many of her friends are in the same boat.
“They are pretty much applying for scholarship after scholarship,” Weber said. “If they don’t get Bright Futures, they’ll go to Edison, or they will not go to college at all.”
Most scholarships are competitive, meaning students are battling other teens for the award. Bright Futures money is guaranteed if students meet grade point average and test score minimums.
“It’s a sure thing,” said Mary Fischer, guidance counselor at Ida S. Baker High in Cape Coral, where 225 of its 489-member senior class meet the GPA requirement. “Their textbooks and tuition are covered.”
Kiwanis Announces Scholarship
The Kiwanis Club of Garden City has announced that applications are now available for the 2008 Kiwanis Service Scholarship. The Scholarship is open to any high school senior residing in the Garden City School District, and is awarded in recognition of a student’s commitment to community service.
Applications have been provided to the Guidance Department of Garden City High School, as well as to many of the private high schools in the vicinity. Interested students should contact their guidance departments. An application may also be downloaded from the Garden City Kiwanis web site, www.gckiwanis.com.
Scholarship focus a ‘motivational tool’ for students
A Gisborne school that initiated an NZQA scholarship preparation programme is reaping the rewards after four students received five scholarships from NZQA this month.
Campion College was the only secondary school in Gisborne with scholarship recipients to have such a formalised study programme.
Principal Paul McGuinness said the school was “very focused” on supporting students to achieve NZQA scholarships.
“The students had been working an hour a week with a teacher to really try to achieve excellence in the programmes we have,” he said.
“We had already achieved good grades with NCEA. We wanted to really focus on trying to achieve top marks in other areas.”
Mr McGuinness said the scholarship programme was designed as a motivational tool to help students “reach their true potential”.
“We are hoping it has a flow-on effect to other levels,” he said.
One of the five scholarships awarded included a mark of “outstanding” — placing that student in the top 0.4 percent of their peers in that subject nationally.
The names of all of the scholarship recipients cannot be published until April, after the re-calibration of some NZQA Scholarship exams.
Schools like Gisborne Girls’ High supported their students in different ways.
Although there was no formal preparation programme in place at the school to support students in the lead-up to the scholarship exams, things were more “flexible”, said deputy principal Jan Kumar.
“We do not get them to do anything together because there are so many different subjects,” she said.
Students who were keen identified themselves through the year and they worked it out with the teachers, she said.
“Individual teachers assign extra work in each subject to those students who have asked for it,” said Mrs Kumar.
Gisborne Boys’ High School supports scholarship students in a similar fashion, with teachers taking extra tutorials after school.
But it was important to note their primary focus was to help senior students achieve their level 3 NCEA, which was held at the same time as the scholarship exams, said principal Greg Mackle.
“Most of the boys doing it were also doing NCEA level 3 in those subjects, so the focus is making sure their level 3 curriculum is covered,” he said.
“After they identify they want to sit a scholarship and go through the process, that is when these extra tutorials kick in,” he said.
The additional lessons, like Girls’ High, are again done on an individual basis and have been “well received”, said Mr Mackle.
“The students are always focused and motivated . . . they need to do it.”
A structured scholarship programme, like at Campion College, was not so feasible for schools such as Lytton High School, said principal Jim Corder.
Like other schools, Lytton’s exam preparations were more of an individual thing, with staff working one on one with scholarship students, he said.
“Students sit a wide range of different subjects and, of course, there are those whose timetables are not the same time as others. That is why we do it on an individual basis,” he said.
- Students from Gisborne Girls’ High received two scholarships, students from Gisborne Boys’ High received one and students from Lytton High School received two.
Scholarship review postponed
THE judicial review into the Ministry of Education’s refusal to recommend a female student of a a Kingston prep school for the Scotia Bank Scholarship following last year’s sitting of the GSAT Exam was last Thursday postponed, as the child’s mother objected to the judge assigned to the case.
When the case was called up in the Supreme Court, Cleopatra Charles, the child’s mother, objected to the matter being heard by Justice Patrick Brooks, because of his affiliation to the Sts Peter and Paul Catholic Church, which operates the prep school by the same name, that the student attended last year.
Following the education ministry’s decision to pass up the student, who copped the highest score for girls (617.70), because of the “reasonable likelihood” that she had been previously exposed to the questions that would be on the exam, a lawsuit was filed by the child’s parent, seeking to reverse the ministry’s decision.
Lawyers representing the parents have asked the court to issue an order requiring the ministry to advise the Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation that the child, who now attends Campion College, had received the highest results for girls in the exam, thereby awarding her the scholarship.
The claimant, according to court papers, is charging that the ministry’s decision was “manifestly unfair” in that the ministry, having “determined that there was some irregularity in the GSAT results, and determining that the claimant was not a knowing party to the irregularity, awarded the claimant her grades - and it is the grades that form the basis, understandingly, for the award of a scholarship”.
The claimant is also charging that the Scotiabank scholarship was not a public one and as such did not fall within the ambit of the Education Act.
The education ministry said that based on its investigations, the student gained an unfair advantage because she was exposed to the questions that would appear on the exam at a homework centre she attended.
“Her score was not necessarily a reflection of her own work,” the ministry said in its affidavit to the court. A female student with the second highest score (616.40) was recommended and awarded the scholarship.
Aarons Scholarship Award Winner Announced
WASHINGTON, Feb 27, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association to Award Third Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship at Annual New York Benefit
On Wednesday, March 12, 2008, the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) will present its third Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award at Headlines & Headliners: NLGJA’s 13th Annual New York Benefit, to be held at The New York Times new TimesCenter.
The 2008 award recipient is Matthew Leung, a third-year student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY.
Leung is a technology columnist for Vassar’s Miscellany News and the founder/editor-in-chief of the print and online lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT: 3.95, -0.01, -0.25%) magazine Outlet. A first-generation American and college student (Leung was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States at the age of 10), he is currently pursuing a double major in Philosophy and Chinese.
Leung is a student member of NLGJA and was the sole student online producer for the 2007 National Convention Student Project.
In support of Leung’s application, Paul Russell — professor of English at Vassar and faculty adviser of Outlet — wrote, “I have witnessed Matt’s capacity for hard work and self-sacrifice, his admirable skills at managing contributors and editors [and] his own deeply professional work on the magazine. I have never seen a student show so much initiative or have as much discipline, energy and follow-through as Matt does.”
“I believe that through journalism I can exercise objectivity and fairness, values that unite and can make a difference in our fragmented world,” said Leung. “People with differences can better sympathize with one another if they see the big picture.”
“Matt exemplifies the future of journalism. He is entrepreneurial and innovative, yet retains a commitment to the importance of accuracy, fairness and objectivity as a journalist. I know Roy Aarons would be a big fan of Matthew and it is an honor to present him with this scholarship,” said NLGJA Executive Director David Barre.
Named in memory of NLGJA’s founder, the $5,000 award was established to support the education of an LGBT student who plans a career in journalism and is committed to furthering NLGJA’s mission of fair and accurate coverage of the LGBT community. The fund is administered through a partnership between NLGJA and The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (DVLF, an LGBT community foundation affiliated with The Philadelphia Foundation), which serves to advance philanthropy within the LGBT community. In 2005, CNN contributed a $100,000 gift to support the scholarship award.
Headlines & Headliners will be emceed by Meredith Vieira, co-host of NBC’s TODAY Show and hosted by Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times. Keller and Vieira will be just two of a number of special guests joining NLGJA members, friends and supporters at The TimesCenter. A full listing of the evening’s headliners can be found by visiting nlgja.org/newyork.htm.
Barre; Thomas Cashman Avila, Deputy Executive Director of NLGJA; and Bill Canacci, Home News Tribune and Leroy F. Aarons Journalism Education Program Chair, oversaw a selection process that included judges Edward Alwood, Quinnipiac University; Mary Cardaras, The New England Institute of Art; Dane Claussen, Point Park University; Joe Cutbirth, Columbia University; Marshall McPeek, WCMH-TV; Walt Swanston, National Public Radio; and members of the DVLF board of directors.
Headlines & Headliners will begin at 7:00 PM with a reception and silent auction. The evening will continue at 9:00 PM with a VIP dinner with the evening’s special guests. Visit nlgja.org/newyork.htm for ticket sales and further information.
NLGJA is an organization of journalists, media professionals, educators and students who work within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of LGBT issues. NLGJA opposes all forms of workplace bias and provides professional development to its members.
Headlines & Headliners: NLGJA’s 13th Annual New York Benefit is sponsored by the evening’s host, The New York Times, as well as NBC Universal, CNN, JetBlue Airways, Kimpton, News Corporation, Sara Lee, Tanqueray Rangpur, Amtrak, Beaulieu Vineyard, Bloomberg, CBS News, InStyle Magazine, Rubenstein, Time Inc., Andrew Tobias & Charles Nolan, AFTRA, Fox News Network, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Next Magazine, Star Group/Steve Rosen, Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., Nike Communications, N.S. Bienstock and Widmeyer Communications.
Visit nlgja.org/newyork.htm for ticket sales and further information.
SOURCE National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
Petro-Canada Unveils Scholarship Program to Support Emerging Leaders at the University of Calgary
Petro-Canada will announce a significant financial commitment to establish the Petro-Canada Emerging Leaders Awards Program(TM) at the University of Calgary. To address the skill shortage resulting from unparalleled growth in the energy industry, this program will provide scholarship and job placement opportunities for emerging leaders in engineering, science and business.
Petro-Canada has been a long-time supporter of leadership in both athletics and academics. In 1988, Petro-Canada recognized young, emerging leaders in athletics, inviting Canadians to Share the Flame and two decades later they continue to honour young leaders who excel in their studies. Join Olympian Hayley Wickenheiser and University of Calgary students to celebrate the establishment of this program.
Eight University of Calgary students have been selected to receive the inaugural awards, which will be presented at the event. Media are invited to learn more about the program and to meet Hayley Wickenheiser and the recipients of the Petro-Canada Emerging Leaders Awards.
WHAT: Petro-Canada Emerging Leaders Awards announcement and medal presentations WHEN: Friday, February 29, 2008 11:00 a.m. MST WHERE: University of Calgary Rozsa Centre 2500 University Drive NW WHO: Ron Brenneman, President and CEO, Petro-Canada Harvey P. Weingarten, President, University of Calgary Hayley Wickenheiser, Olympic gold medalist, women's hockey Nathan Fester, Student awardee and event emcee Kathy Sendall, Senior Vice-President, Petro-Canada
Contacts: Kelly Exner Communications, University of Calgary (403) 210-9882 or Cell: (403) 803-4647 Email: exnerk@ucalgary.ca Renee Kelly Media Relations, Petro-Canada (403) 296-6795 or Cell: (403) 470-3759 Email: rekelly@petro-canada.ca
Trinity Health Foundation offers new scholarship
Trinity Health Foundation has established a new scholarship for those interested in health careers. It is named in honor of cardiologists from Cardiovascular Medicine, Moline.
The CVM Youth Mentoring Scholarship will provide scholarships to children and grandchildren of Trinity employees who are pursuing a health-related degree from an accredited college or university.
Physicians from the cardiology practice were named Donors of the Year for 2007 by the Trinity Health Foundation. The practice includes Drs. Helbert Acosta, Kumar Bobba, Mark Kovach, Faraz Manazir, Aswartha Pothula, Sanjeev Puri, Bouyella Reddy, Sora Reddy and Harry Wallner.
M’lore: SFI Demands Revocation of SC, ST Scholarship Order
Mangalore, Feb 29: Members of Students’ Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest in front of zilla panchayat office here on Wednesday February 27 demanding the revocation of the order regarding cut-off percentage for scholarships to students belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
The students alleged that the order was politically motivated and expressed their concern over SC and ST students not being able to secure the required percentage to obtain scholarships. The order, passed by union ministry of social justice and empowerment, states that the students must procure minimum 60 per cent in PUC to be eligible for the scholarships.
The students further said that most of the SC and ST students hail from poor families and are not in a position to afford books and tuitions which in turn affects their studies. A memorandum in this regard was submitted to the CEO of zilla panchayat on the occasion.
A press release from SFI, Beltangady stated that the government was betraying the cause of education by passing such an order.
The protest was a part of the state-wide campaign launched by SFI last week. The federation has also launched an indefinite strike in Bangalore.
Sparta girl receives Honeywell Scholarship to Presidential Classroom in Washington
MORRIS TOWNSHIP — Anni Smith, 17, of Sparta is one of 428 students from 31 countries and 31 U.S. offered a scholarship to attend the Honeywell Scholars @ Presidential Classroom program from March 2-8, 2008 in Washington, D.C.
Anni is a high school senior active in school and community orchestras, choir, drama and dramatic and forensics league competitions.
The scholarships offer this globally diverse group of students the opportunity to learn first hand about the interconnection between science, technology and public policy. Students will meet with elected officials, business leaders and government appointees to engage in thought-provoking discussions on current issues of global concern.
“What better way to get the next generation to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math than to put them in touch with inspirational leaders in those fields,” said Tom Buckmaster, President, Honeywell Hometown Solutions. “The Honeywell Scholars @ Presidential Classroom program provides students with an engaging and intellectually stimulating experience to foster their passion for learning and advancement.”
Honeywell awards the scholarships after a rigorous application and review process based on academic achievement and community involvement. Financial contributions from Honeywell employees help fund the scholarships, which include tuition for the week-long program, meals, accommodations and program materials. Since 2005, including this year’s class, 820 students from 31 countries and 31 states have graduated from the program.
During the week-long program students get to observe the U.S. Congress in action and visit historic sites including the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Department of State and Arlington National Cemetery. The Honeywell Scholars will also visit the Honeywell Technology Experience on Capitol Hill, an exhibit of Honeywell’s technologies. Students will also attend a special reception and presentation by Commander Eileen Collins, the first female commander of a space shuttle, at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and visit the National Academy of Sciences, Honeywell facilities at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Library of Congress and Walter Reed Institute of Research.
The Honeywell Scholars @ Presidential Classroom program is part of Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company’s corporate social responsibility initiative which focuses on four issues of vital importance: Family Safety & Security; Housing & Shelter; Science & Math Education; and Humanitarian Relief. Together with leading public and non-profit institutions, Honeywell has developed powerful programs to address these needs in the communities it serves. Honeywell’s science and math education programs have already reached more than 160,000 students and teachers in 31 countries and 48 U.S. states
