ESCC to reopen scholarships, increase funding
For a second year, Enterprise State Community College has reopened its scholarship application and increased scholarship funding by $150,000.
ESCC offers a variety of scholarships for academics, technical and career interests, and participation in fine arts, athletics, and leadership activities. The $150,000 increase in funding will affect all areas.
“Over the last two years, we have increased our scholarship offerings here at Enterprise State by $250,000,” ESCC President Matt Rodgers said. “Thanks to enrollment increases, grant opportunities, and being good stewards of our money, we have been very fortunate, so we’re taking that money and investing it back into our students and our community.”
The first round of scholarship recipients – those who applied by the March 1 deadline – were notified of their award on Friday, April 9. If a student previously applied for a scholarship but did not receive one, his or her name will be kept in the applicant pool for consideration after the June 1 deadline.
During the first round, ESCC awarded 73 technical, career, and academic scholarships. Additional scholarships, such as leadership or student organization scholarships, have also been awarded.
The scholarship application reopened on April 12 at escc.edu/scholarships. The new deadline to apply will be June 1. With the reopening of the application, high school valedictorians and salutatorians are encouraged to apply for the Presidential Scholarship, which covers all tuition costs.
“These Presidential Scholarship offers are on the table,” Rodgers said. “We are proud to offer them to our local valedictorians and salutatorians, and we would love to have those students join us in the fall.”
Prior to increasing total scholarship amounts for the first time last year, ESCC previously increased scholarship amounts for athletics and fine arts as part of an initiative to increase participation. These areas will also see an increase this year as part of the $150,000 total increase.
The College offers athletics scholarships for baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s basketball. While the College has continually increased athletic scholarship funding for the past three years, ESCC will offer the maximum amount of scholarships for each sport per NJCAA recommendations for the Fall 2021 semester: 24 baseball and softball scholarships and 15 scholarships for men’s and women’s basketball.
“We want to give our coaches the best resources to develop strong, successful student-athletes,” Rodgers said. “By investing in our students and our athletic facilities, we’re showing our community that we are here to compete at a high level.
“Additionally, our Fine Arts Division does great things for our campus and community,” he said. “Dr. Thomas and our Fine Arts Department staff are second to none, and they do a fantastic job teaching and leading our students, who are great ambassadors of our College not only on campus but across the Wiregrass and nation as well.”
For students who are interested in attending Fall 2021 classes but who have not already applied, applications are being accepted at this time. The College’s free application can be found at escc.edu/apply. Individuals who would like to learn more about the College and its programs or take a tour of campus can visit escc.edu/admissions to reach out to a recruiter or take the College’s virtual tour.
In addition to the scholarship application, students who plan to attend ESCC/AAC during the fall semester are encouraged to complete the 2021-22 FAFSA at studentaid.gov and use school code 001015 for ESCC/AAC. For more information about the FAFSA and ESCC financial aid, visit escc.edu/financialaid.
For individuals interested in getting a head start on their degree or training, summer classes are an option at ESCC. Open registration for Summer 2021 will begin Thursday, April 15. Students are encouraged to speak with their adviser before registering for summer classes through their myESCC account. Once summer registration begins, summer pell grants will start being processed. For transient students who wish to take summer courses, visit escc.edu/admissions to begin the enrollment process.
“While the pandemic has been difficult, we are coming out of this time even better than ever,” Rodgers said. “We have kept up our momentum with facilities upgrades, the additions, and new programs and, now, offering our students additional opportunities for scholarships for school. We want to help anyone who wants to go to college for a degree or training to have that opportunity.
“Exciting things are happening here at Enterprise State,” he said. “We would love to have you take part and join us.”
Cutline: New Brockton: Members of the Enterprise State Community College team presented New Brockton High School’s Valedictorian Haley Jones and Salutatorian Jordan Boland with Presidential Scholarships. Pictured, from the left, are Director of Financial Aid Dr. Kevin Ammons, Vice President/Dean of Instruction Danny Long, Jones, Boland, Recruiter Emily Baker, and President Matt Rodgers.