(MARSHALL, Texas) – A financial barrier is a common reason why someone might not choose to attend college. To help overcome that barrier, and with help from generous donors, The TSTC Foundation offers over 350 scholarships to new and current Texas State Technical College students.
Several of the scholarships are exclusive to those attending TSTC’s Marshall campus or to Harrison County residents. Jill Crocker, a development officer for the Marshall campus, said the scholarships can help cover college costs that government funding will not.
“How it works is once they complete their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and their paperwork, if they receive government funding, we have scholarships out there that will cover the rest as long as they keep that grade-point average,” she said.
The Fat Boy Foundation is awarding a $1,500 Jonathan Holland Memorial Scholarship to an eligible TSTC Electrical Lineworker and Management Technology student, in honor of its namesake who once studied in the program. This is the first time this scholarship is being offered directly to TSTC.
“We’re the first ones that receive a scholarship directly to the college, and she (the Fat Boy Foundation’s founder) is planning to continue that because she knows the value of TSTC, she knows the workforce pipeline that we fill, and she has a heart for TSTC,” Crocker said.
Martin Specialty Coatings, located in Shreveport, will award two $2,500 scholarships to students enrolling in the upcoming Building Construction Technology program at TSTC’s Marshall campus.
“They were one of the first industry leaders to donate to our Building Construction program,” Crocker said. “They recognized the need right away, and they jumped on it.”
The Steve and Penny Carlile Scholarship is privately funded and offered exclusively to Harrison County residents who are entering their first semester at TSTC. The scholarship covers the recipient’s entire tuition.
Caleb Lovera, a TSTC Industrial Systems student who received the Steve and Penny Carlile Scholarship, is in his third semester at the Marshall campus. He said he is grateful that neither he nor his family have to pay for his education.
“It’s helped me because a requirement for the scholarship is a 2.0 GPA, so that’s something that’s kept me on task,” Lovera said. “If you apply for scholarships, it’s free money. It doesn’t matter if you get it or not, it doesn’t hurt to apply.”
The deadline to apply for scholarships for TSTC’s fall semester is Monday, June 30. For more information, go to tstc.edu/admissions/financial-aid/scholarships.