OJC awarded $75,000 in scholarship funding from the Daniels Fund Scholarship! Applications are due January 18, 2008.
Otero Junior College has been awarded $75,000 from the Daniels Fund in Daniels Opportunity Scholarship funding. The Daniels Opportunity Scholarships are awarded through grants to colleges and universities that convert them into scholarships for non-traditional students. The $75,000 will be allocated over two years to approximately 25 students and will help cover the cost of tuition and fees. Scholarship recipients can begin using their awards during Spring Semester 2008.
Jim Rizzuto, president of Otero Junior College, stated that the college was extremely grateful to learn about the scholarship funding from the Daniels Fund. "This grant will be used in our continuing efforts to assist students in need of scholarship opportunities in the following areas: adult learners, GED recipients, foster care youth, juvenile justice youth, returning military personnel, and individuals pursing EMT/paramedic training. We appreciate the continued support by the Daniels Fund in assisting Otero Junior College to meet the needs of our students," said Rizzuto.
"Students who most desire a college education are often least able to effort one," said Linda Childears, president and CEO of the Daniels Fund. "Daniels Opportunity Scholarships are intended to give a boost to students of all ages and at all levels of society seeking to secure the economic and social benefits of a college education," she added.
In selecting candidates for a Daniels Opportunity Scholarship, institutions are encouraged to seek out those who reflect the qualities identified by Bill Daniels for the Daniels Scholarship Program: strength of character; leadership potential; emotional maturity and stability; well-rounded personality; abilities, and broad interests; and the potential to contribute to one's community later in life.
Twenty-five scholarships will be awarded in this scholarship cycle in the amount of $1,500.00 each. Those funds will be split between Spring Semester 2008 and Fall Semester 2008 ($750 each semester), and will be applied to tuition and fees only. Students must meet a minimum requirement of a 2.0 GPA during Spring Semester 2008 to be eligible for renewal in the fall of 2008.
Applications are currently being accepted by Jennifer Carrica, financial aid director at OJC. Application deadline is Friday, January 18, 2008. Once the deadline has past, applications will be reviewed by the Otero Junior College Scholarship Committee and awards will be based on need, merit, and completion of application materials.
To be eligible to apply for the scholarships, students must meet one of the following requirements:
- Non-traditional student (at least 23 years of age)
- GED recipient
- Returning military (DD214 required)
- Foster Care youth
- Juvenile Justice youth
- Enrolled in EMT/paramedic training
The scholarship application indicates that the following actions must be taken by applicants:
- Students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits
- Students must demonstrate need based on the FAFSA application
- Students must submit a GED, high school, or college transcript
- Students must submit an autobiographical statement about why they would be a good candidate for this scholarship.
To obtain a copy of the Daniels Opportunity Scholarship application at Otero Junior College, contact Jennifer Carrica, financial aid director, at 719-384-6834 or print out the Daniels Fund Scholarship PDF Application from this link.
Completed scholarship applications should be mailed to: Otero Junior College, c/o Jennifer Carrica, Financial Aid Director, 1802 Colorado Ave. La Junta, Colorado 81050; or dropped off to the OJC Financial Aid office, located in the OJC Student Services Center on south San Juan Avenue in La Junta. The deadline for scholarship applications is Friday, January 18, 2008. For more information, call Jennifer Carrica at 719-384-6834.
