Liliana Barraza, a 30-year-old mother of two, exemplifies the saying, “patience is a virtue.”
Before coming to America, Barraza dreamed of attending college, but when she first arrived at City College she did not qualify for financial aid because she was not a legal resident.
After waiting eight years, she was finally eligible to apply for financial aid and scholarships. This allowed her to live her dream, and reach her goal to attend college.
“I recommend other students to at least try to get a scholarship,” said Barraza. “It’s worth it.”
The truth is many students like Barraza suffer through long work hours, hungry stomachs, and all-night study sessions to attend and finish college.
For this very reason the Foundation at City College offers 130 scholarships and awards worth over $500,000 to needy students each year.
“It’s really easy to apply and there is a high success rate,” said Cecilia Morales, scholarship coordinator for the Foundation.
When asked why she chose to work as a scholarship coordinator, Morales said she enjoyed the job because she gets to help students by giving them money.
More than half the students that apply for scholarships receive one. Morales said 497 out of the 895 students who have applied for scholarships have been awarded one through the Foundation.
Barraza is one of the 497 students to receive a scholarship. She was awarded a general scholarship of $1,000 earlier this year.
“The money really did help me,” she said. “I work 10 hours a week now, but if I had not been awarded the scholarship I would have to work at least 20 hours a week.”
“Now I can spend more time with my two kids,” Barraza added.
In Mexico, Barraza said either you are really rich or you have to work really hard to attend school, but there is a lot of help here.
The scholarships are broken into two categories, general and departmental. There are 31 general and 99 departmental scholarships available to students.
Open application workshops are offered to City College students once a year to apply for the general scholarships, while departmental scholarship applications are accepted throughout the year.
The Foundation will be offering a scholarship workshop starting Jan. 9 and running through March 2.
“I really encourage students to apply in January because it is an easy application and the chances of being rewarded a scholarship are pretty high,” Morales said.
The new application includes a packet showcasing all the different types of scholarships students can apply for.
It is not yet available, but will be in January. Students can then come and fill out the one-page application, Morales said.
Further information about City College scholarships offered through the Foundation can be found on the website at www.sbcc.edu/scholarshipapplication.com.