Applications are currently being accepted for Spring 2021 Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation scholarships and Terri Quam is here to help!
Quam is the Scholarship Coordinator for the Maricopa County Community College District. She said the most important thing students should keep in mind when applying for scholarships is to not avoid applications that require an essay.
“Many students are intimidated when it comes to writing an essay for a scholarship application,” she said. “But the truth is, most of them require one, and while it does take a bit of time and effort, once you start writing, the end result will be worth it.”
Foundation officials said students should be positive, truthful, and descriptive while reflecting on their life goals and career aspirations when writing their essays. They also suggest students ask a friend or family member to review their work for grammatical errors as well as take advantage of the Writing Center.
Quam said essays are extremely important and carry considerable weight, telling her students, “The essay is where you ‘sell yourself.’”
“This is their opportunity to tell the reviewer about themselves, so it’s very important to write a compelling essay that expressly answers the questions asked,” she said. “While many things are taken into consideration when scoring an application, the essay portion is the only place a reviewer can really ‘get to know you.’ So students should spend time thinking about their answers.”
Hundreds of scholarships are available through the Foundation and students can apply to as many as they want by going to https://mcccdf.academicworks.com/.
“The biggest mistake a student can make is not applying,” Quam said. “By simply filling out the General Application, students are eligible for hundreds of available opportunities, which are only available to Maricopa Community College students.”
The deadline to apply is Oct. 16. Students should use the Save and Keep Editing button as they complete their applications. Award notifications will be sent to students’ Gmail accounts. For questions or to request a call back for scholarship assistance, email scholarships@domail.maricopa.edu.
Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation scholarships are made possible through the support of donors as well as departments and programs throughout the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges.