Whatcom Community College students have access to many scholarship opportunities through both the Whatcom Community College Foundation and resources off campus. In the last school year 385 Whatcom students applied for scholarships and that number is growing each year with a 65 percent increase since the previous year.
The WCCF scholarship application is an application for all op
portunities awarded by the foundation. A student submits one application and is then entered into all the opportunities they qualify for.
Kate Imus is a program specialist who manages the WCCF scholarship program says, “Our scholarship is the one thing you do not have to research and as a student at Whatcom, you qualify.” The application for the WCCF scholarship program opens in January 2020 for the 2020-2021 school year.
When researching scholarships outside of the WCCF Imus recommends, “Build a spreadsheet so you can start to organize these opportunities. There are so many different opportunities and it can get overwhelming.” Imus recommends the writing center as an asset to students working on scholarship applications.
“So many prompts are similar so work with the writing center to create really strong answers that you can adapt to different applications. Read the prompts carefully, you should be making a case for yourself that you are the best choice for that opportunity,” said Imus.
Whatcom students are now eligible to receive free tuition through the Washington College Grant program which is part of the Workforce Education Act, signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee in June 2019. Four-person families earning less than $46,00, two-person families earning less than $31,000 and single individuals earning less than $24,000 are eligible for the grant.
To qualify, a student must be a Washington resident, demonstrate financial need, enroll in at least three credits, maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA and complete their degree program in 7.5 quarters. There is no specific application for the scholarship. Students who apply for FAFSA will automatically be eligible. If a student is not eligible to apply for FAFSA due to immigration status they may apply using WASFA.
Each year, Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society at Whatcom, sponsors the All-Washington Academic Team scholarship. Four students are selected by Whatcom’s president to represent the school in this scholarship competition.
To be eligible students must have completed a minimum of 54 credits, have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, must be currently enrolled in an associate degree or certificate program, and taking at least nine credits.
The most vital of the application is a 500-word essay about a time in college in which the student applies their skills to benefit the school or community. It includes questions about academic achievement, personal lives, and financial information. Students must also include a letter of recommendation from a faculty or community member who can attest to their qualifications.
