By Sindhu Priya Kondapuram, GCC Fashion Business Student
Did you know that GCC offers scholarships for both domestic and international students? if you’re already aware, you probably know where to find the application process and the requirements for these scholarships. If you’re interested in learning about GCC scholarships, stick around- I’ve added some tips that might come in handy when applying..
How many scholarships are available?
GCC has over 110 scholarships, some of these scholarships are only for domestic students, others for both domestic and international students, and some categorized by major.
Where to find them?
logging into your MyGCC account, click on the New Experience Dashboard. It takes you to the tab that looks like this.
Click on the Foundation Scholarships link in the Financial Aid section.
There, you can select the scholarships based on your eligibility
What are the deadlines of scholarships for each semester?
January 1 – May 31 for the fall semester.
September 1 to October 31 for the spring semester.
Are there scholarships for international students?
Yes, GCC offers many scholarships for international students. You can find them under the “ Pay for College” dropdown menu on the main GCC website banner. Some are major-based, while others have specific criteria.
Chances for international students?
GCC’s financial aid department has no priorities; it treats all applicants equally. If your essay stands out and you meet the scholarships criteria, you have a good chance of being awarded, regardless of your student status
Emergency Funding:
Emergency Funding may be available for students facing emergency financial needs that hinder their education. If you’re among one of those students, I would suggest talking to your success coach to determine eligibility based on your emergency situation.
Some scholarships may require supporting materials
How will I know I have been awarded a scholarship?
The Financial aid department will notify you through your GCC email account, and your student account will get updated.
How do I know that I did not get awarded a scholarship?
If you did not receive an email, it’s likely you didn’t receive a scholarship. If in doubt, contact Alex Misiti, Financial Aid Retention Specialist. aemisiti@genesee.edu
Some tips
Tip one– Apply before the deadline. Tip two – Write a concise and compelling essay let the scholarship committee know why should they consider your application.
Tips from GCC’s Financial Aid Retention Specialist, Alex Misiti:
Get involved on campus
Be a genuine community member
Express your authentic self in your essay, explaining why the committee should consider your application.
Returning to school as an adult was a terrifying thought! About a year ago I began thinking about it. How am I going to pay for it? What has changed since the first time I was in college? Can I really be successful in the online environment? Can I balance work, family, and school life?
The idea of getting a degree or certificate in Accounting lead to an online search. In my search, I came across the Micro-credential program on the GCC website. I took the leap of faith and clicked on “request more information” button. At this point I had nothing to lose. I learned what had changed since the first time around… I had changed.
I was successful in the online environment, because I wanted to be and was given all the tools. I also learned to balance work, family, and school because this education was important to me. Establishing good use of time was paramount. The Accounting Fundamentals Micro-Credential program provided the path to find the passion for learning that I thought I had lost long ago.
Hi everyone, I’m Oliver Alaviuhkola, and I’m from Helsinki, Finland. I’m a Finnish international student athlete here at GCC majoring in Business Administration. Finland is a relatively small northern European country, best known for Santa Claus, northern lights and our harsh winters. As an athlete from the north, the logical sport would have been ice hockey, but from a young age I fell in love with football or soccer as it is known in America.
Beginning
My early introduction to soccer came through my father and many of my friends. The first club I joined was founded by my father and other local parents for me and my friends and everything just kind of progressed from there. One of the biggest European youth tournaments “Helsinki Cup” is hosted in my hometown and my dad trained me for it all summer when I made the choice to become the team’s goalkeeper after my first year playing.
Eventually, after that tournament I fell in love with the role and I’ve been practicing goalkeeping ever since. I transferred after my first year into a bigger club in hopes of improving the environment I was developing in and my dad came with me to coach the team there. The club team KäPa made me take my first steps in my journey with the help of my goalkeeper coach, “Oso”, who I consider to be one of the most influential people on my journey.
Life of a student athlete
I was always a good student and hard working, but an increasing training load and difficult courses was definitely something I had to adapt to each year. There wasn’t much room for socializing in my early teens because my day consisted of school from 8 am-4 pm and practice from 5 pm-8 pm. Luckily my mom and dad were always there to help me study, feed me and to drive me back home from practice.
My journey
By no means has my journey been easy and I don’t think there is a single athlete that hasn’t gone through their fair share of hardships. I consistently struggled to make the cut onto the first team academy and I was neglected in a sense due to not being from a promising background. Wherever I went, I carried the label that is often given way too soon to many athletes that followed me, as the culture tends to favor those who show promise at a young age with the best coaching and opportunities. If you don’t display promise early on you’ll have to grind your way through and pave your own path.
However, this all turned around when I was lifted at the age of 16, I was unexpectedly promoted to the HJK under-20 academy team due to a freak streak of injuries. I was two years younger than the second youngest player in the team, essentially playing with men. This experience sparked something in me that fueled me to train harder than ever before in my life. I went on to win bronze in the U20 Nationals with HJK and transitioned to Atlantis FC at the age of 18, where they signed me on with my first academy contract for one year. Although I didn’t get paid or get any benefits, it was still a step that highlighted the results of my hard work.
There, I had the privilege of being mentored by a goalkeeper coach with a proven track record in the MLS, Turkish main league and even as a part of Cameron’s World Cup squad in 2014 who would take me under his wing. Despite being overlooked by other coaches once again, the rigorous training under my GK goalkeeper coach, Sammy, pushed me to become the goalkeeper I’m today. The Atlantis U20 academy team went on to secure a bronze finish in the U20 Nationals.”
Before coming to the USA, I made my final transfer to PPJ, where I spent half a year trying to qualify the team for promotion to the U20 Nationals. During my time there, I was under the guidance of Scott, a goalkeeper from Coastal Carolina and their Hall of Fame alumni, and an ex-MLS goalkeeper. He mentored me into fighting shape so I would be ready for the national powerhouse that is the GCC men’s soccer team.
Mentors
My mentors along the way have been my father, three goalkeeper coaches I mentioned previously and Ken Gavin the head Coach of GCC men’s soccer team. They’ve all been tough but fair and have all offered their own individual experiences to improve aspects of my game. I’ve shared a lot of highs and lows with each of the people mentioned and I wouldn’t be in the position I’m currently in without their help.
Teammates
I’ve always considered teammates as the best part of sports, even though I have moved between clubs. I’ve always tried to form connections with at least a few of the boys on the rosters, some of whom I still keep in touch with. However, as in life, our paths often separate after a year or two, but that’s just something you get used to. Leading the GCC men’s soccer team as a sophomore and a captain was a learning curve for me, even though I’ve always been a vocal leader on the pitch. Now, having to learn to read people’s personalities and what motivates them has been the most interesting part, and I’ve loved every minute of being here with this group of lads.
Next steps
Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a strong passion for playing soccer, and my next logical step is to transfer to a four-year college to continue challenging myself both academically and on the field. However, before I fully focus on my future, I’m determined to improve upon last year’s heartbreaking national final defeat. After that, I’ll assess where my next move will take me. In a few years, I hope to have progressed enough to secure a professional soccer contract, or if my academics show strong performance, I may use my degree in the business field.
My advice
My advice to future student-athletes is to be mentally resilient and keep working. Good things will come, but there is no set timeline. Eventually, you’ll receive what you deserve.
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