Each year, the Metropolitan Community College Foundation, with the support of numerous donors, provides students with scholarships to allow them to continue to excel in their educational goals.
These scholarships vary by educational program, amount of award and the requirements to apply for them.
These MCC Foundation scholarships are provided through the generosity of independent donors, MCC alumni, businesses, organizations and the college community.
Endowed (permanent) scholarship funds
An endowment of $10,000 or more will produce income to provide annual scholarships in perpetuity. Typically, no funds are awarded until the scholarship is fully endowed.
Determining your scholarship criteria
As a donor, you can determine criteria upon which applicants will be evaluated. However, please note that if criteria are too narrow, fewer students will qualify. For ease in awarding your scholarship, you should consider using phrases such as "give first preference to" rather than terms like "must have." Here is an example of the criteria items we look for when establishing a new scholarship:
- Scholarship name: The name that you as the donor choose for the scholarship.
- Campus: You can make your scholarship available to all MCC students or designate it to support students at a particular campus.
- Award amount: You can designate this as a dollar amount (e.g., $500) or state "as funds are available" to leave the amount open.
- Number of scholarships: You can select a set number (e.g., two awards annually) or state "as funds are available," which leaves the total number of scholarships awarded based upon the funds available.
- Residency: You can decide whether to support scholars who live in-state or in-district, or stipulate no residency requirement.
- Enrollment status: You can award a scholarship to either full-time (taking at least 12 credit hours per semester) or part-time (6 credit hours) students or both.
- Financial need: You can require applicants to demonstrate financial need (by requiring them to complete financial aid documents) or place no restrictions on financial need.
- Academic performance: All MCC scholarships require students to have at least a 2.0 GPA to qualify. You can require a higher GPA.
- Other criteria: For example, you might require applicants to have completed 12 hours in their area of study. (On most MCC Foundation scholarships, this area is left blank.)
- Area of study: You can award students who are enrolled in a certain area of study, require intent to complete a certain degree (associate in arts, for instance) or certificate, or place no restrictions about area of study.
- Conditions for renewal: You can require that a student retain a certain GPA or enroll in a certain number of credit hours to renew their scholarship each semester.
- Procedure: You can ask applicants for a minimum of one and a maximum of three recommendation letters, essays, interviews or, again, place no restrictions. However, recommendation letters -- especially for nontraditional students who may have been out of school for a period of time or not connected to church or volunteering -- can be a hurdle that keeps students from applying. The same holds true for requiring an essay, especially for students whose majors are more technical and scientific versus writing-oriented.
Here is a prototype of a typical MCC scholarship opportunity.
| Campus: | College-wide |
| Award Amount: | In-district tuition, fees and books (as funds are available) |
| Number of Scholarships: | Two |
| Residency: | In-district |
| Enrollment Status: | Full-time or part-time (minimum 6 hours) |
| Financial Need: | Must demonstrate financial need |
| Academic Performance: | 2.5 GPA |
| Area of Study: | No restrictions |
| Conditions for Renewal: | Maintain 2.5 GPA |
| Procedure: | Varies |
How are scholarships awarded?
Campus awards
- MCC financial aid offices on each campus distribute and accept scholarship applications from Feb.1-April 1 each academic year.
- A financial aid staff member determines scholarship eligibility based on criteria set by the donor and forwards qualifying applications to the campus scholarship committee.
- The campus scholarship committee reviews all applications and makes the selection.
- The campus scholarship committee informs the MCC Foundation office of the awards.
- MCC Foundation staff communicates with the campus financial aid and business office to credit the scholarship to the student's account.
Donor committees
- As with the campus awards, MCC financial aid offices on each campus distribute and accept scholarship applications from Feb.1-April 1 each academic year.
- A financial aid staff member determines scholarship eligibility based on criteria set by the donor and forwards qualifying applications to the MCC Foundation office, which then forwards qualifying applications to the donor.
- The donor committee selects the scholarship recipients. The donor submits the names, addresses, Social Security numbers and scholarship amounts to the MCC Foundation office.
- MCC Foundation staff communicates with the campus financial aid and business offices to credit the scholarship to the student's account.
Next steps
- Determine the criteria for the scholarship and contact the MCC Foundation Office to complete your scholarship.
- Checks or money orders can be made out to the MCC Foundation. In the memo line, note the name of the scholarship fund.
Questions?
Contact the MCC Foundation by calling 816.604.1195 or emailing mcc.foundation@mcckc.edu.