Through the EC Scholarship Office, more than 332 students received scholarships last Thursday in the Marsee Auditorium, Kahea Kamahele, scholarship coordinator, said.
“More than $320,000 in scholarships were distributed to current EC students and to a few high school seniors who plan on attending EC in the fall semester,” Kamahele said.
Kamahele added that scholarships come from private donors, sponsors and organizations to help EC students have the opportunity to achieve their goals.
Some of the scholarships that were awarded include the Division Award, Foundation Donor Award, Foundation Benefactor Award, the Osher Award, Foundation High School Award and the Virginia and Thomas Riddle Scholarship.
“I feel excited and blessed that I’ve been chosen to be a recipient for the Virginia and Thomas Riddle Scholarship because it afforded me the opportunity to further my education and hopefully go on to inspire others to grow,” Levi Barnes, 54, music major, said.
Applicants must be on the path to a two-year degree, certificate, or transfer to a four-year institution, according to the scholarship brochure. It also adds that to be considered for a scholarship, students must be enrolled in six units, have a 2.0 or higher GPA, one letter of recommendation and a personal essay.
According to the scholarship program, Garret Dunbar, last year’s scholarship recipient stated that after graduating high school (he), like many of (his) fellow classmates, was the unfortunate recipient of rejection letters signed by many of the colleges and universities to which (he) replied. He also states that instead of being discouraged by this, (he) decided to apply to EC and was determined to prove those other admissions offices wrong.
“Students can apply once a year online on the EC website (MyECC) and just answer a few general questions,” Kamahele said.
The Virginia and Thomas Riddle Award honor Tom Riddle who served in the army in 1940. There are 12, $2,000 Riddle Scholarships to be awarded across all disciplines for 2010. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and plan on continuing their education at EC or transferring to a four-year institution fall 2010, according to the scholarship program.
“I am very humble to be selected to be one of the few to receive the Virginia and Thomas Riddle Scholarship,” Daniel Garret, 33, psychology major, said.
The Division Award for the Grace Elizabeth Karmen Brown Memorial Scholarship is a scholarship that is awarded to students who meet the eligibility requirements in a specific field of study.
Funding for the division awards are provided by service clubs, businesses and other organizations throughout the EC community, according to the scholarship program.
“It feels good when someone recognizes your hard work. It makes you want to keep working hard to be the best you want to be,” Joe Udeochu, 21, biology major, said.