NEWS

Grants and scholarships make college accessible

Andrew Munguia, the executive director of financial aid since November 2022, said he is committed to helping students through college expenses, He said he has on numerous occasions helped fill out FAFSA forms.

Sasha Hatinger

Staff Writer

Whether you are a first-time student or returning to WCC, paying for tuition, books and supplies can be a daunting process for many students.

WCC’s Financial Aid office provides a number of resources for students interested in applying for grants and scholarships and are available to help students.

Andrew Munguia, executive director of Financial Aid, breaks it down in simple terms.

When asked about the difference between scholarships and grants, Munguia said, “They’re both free money to help you pay for any expense for college.”

Applying for scholarships and grants allows students to ease their burden of financial debt they accrue while pursuing their degrees.

“Scholarships are typically merit [based], you have to earn them,” Munguia said. “Grants are typically free money that can go to a student primarily based off of need.”

It is essential for students to know what scholarships and grants are available to them. Part of that process, for grants specifically, is the free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Financial Aid Office is available to help students with their FAFSA application.

According to Munguia, for the academic year 2022-2023, 6,363 WCC students received $34,930,676 in some sort of financial aid.

The Pell Grant is a federal grant and is part of the FAFSA application; along with the other significant, and more importantly, free federal grant programs.

Munguia highlighted that 3,777 students at WCC received $12,773,762 in Federal Pell Grants in the academic year 2022-2023.

The WCC Foundation Scholarship is available for students who exhibit financial hardships and perform well in school.

Kayla Friedland-Volz, manager of advancement (Scholarship and Student Emergency Fund) for WCC Foundation, offers guidance for students interested in applying for the WCC Foundation Scholarship.

“We recommend that you write your personal statement before you even sign in to apply,” Friedland-Volz said. “The committee’s normally looking for if you have any financial need. What you’re doing at WCC, like your program and your future plans.”

There are also external scholarships available, like the Michigan Reconnect Scholarship.

“The Michigan Reconnect program is an initiative to try to increase the number of students with [a] college education,” Munguia said. “They have a plan called ‘Sixty by 30.’ They want to increase the number of college degrees to 60% by the year 2030.”

There are many students already taking advantage of the Michigan Reconnect Scholarship at WCC. “In 2022-2023, we disbursed $1,366,417 of Michigan Reconnect to students 25 and older,” Munguia said.

The scholarship was originally designed for students 25 and older, however, it was recently extended to students between the ages 21-24 this past year.

Students within that age range should act fast if interested in applying for the Michigan Reconnect Scholarship. According to the michigan.gov website, the “Reconnect Expansion for ages 21-24” is only temporary. The deadline to apply is Nov. 15, 2024.

For more information about the Michigan Reconnect Scholarship visit, michigan.gov/reconnect