2023-24 GCC Foundation Scholarship Applications Open Feb. 1

On Feb. 1, Gateway students begin applying online for Gateway Community College Foundation scholarships for the college’s 2023-2024 academic year.

Applications will be accepted until April 1. Volunteer reviewers will then evaluate the applications and recommend awards to the Foundation’s Board.

Students who will receive support will be notified in early May. The annual Donor/Scholar Recognition will once again take place in the spring over lunch. It’s a “don’t-miss-it” event where donors and scholars meet one another and celebrate successes together.

In 2022, the GCC Foundation awarded 130 scholarships, valued at $86,375 to hardworking, eligible students.

2022 Scholarship awards included:

· 72 general scholarships (tuition, books, or related academic expenses)

· 14 fellowships (broader, more long-term support)

· 44 technology (laptop) awards

Great news! Several new Foundation scholarships were established for 2023-2024. Thank you to the generous individual, community, corporate, and foundation donors who invested in Gateway students. (See story about the newly established Wanda Gibbs Memorial Scholarship/Fellowship.)

Still, every year the number of applications far exceeds available scholarships.

Last year alone, scholarship dollars funded only 44 percent of the 296 applications. Making those tough decisions can be downright daunting for dedicated volunteer reviewers, including staff and faculty members like Dan Fuller, Professor and Chair of Gateway’s Automotive Technology Department.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to make ‘Solomon’s choice,’” said Fuller, who has reviewed applications for several years.

“How do I decide which student is most deserving of a scholarship when every story is so compelling, and their need is so great?”

Please help by making a gift to the GCC Foundation at https://gatewayfdn.org/scholarships/. For more information about establishing a new scholarship in honor or memory of someone, please call Victoria Dancy, (203) 285-2558.

Would you like to volunteer to review scholarships? Let Victoria know!

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