2008 Woodie Awards
Scholarship Aids Science Students
Arpee Markarian
Issue date: 5/14/08 Section: Features
Math, science, engineering, and technology majors wondering where they can get help with the cost of school don't have to search any further.
Students from these disciplines now have a chance to apply for the Math and Science Transfer, Excellence and Retention (MASTER) Scholarship Program, a grant that awards up to $1,500 per year to financially disadvantaged students who plan to transfer to a four-year university.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) an independent agency of the federal government that funds educational institutions has given $500,000 to GCC for the next five years, in order to award up to 70 scholarships per year to students who maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average, demonstrate a financial need, are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, are enrolled in 12 units or more each semester, and plan to pursue higher education.
Sid Kolpas, professor of mathematics, runs the program and is in charge of selecting applicants.
"It's an amazing scholarship," Kolpas said, "All it asks of the student is to pass the classes and take advantage of all the things the scholarship offers," referring to the other advantages of the program, including access to a faculty mentor, an email newsletter, and the summer bridge/academic enrichment program.
This four-week curriculum starts June 30, and takes place in one of the classrooms on campus. It is open to all grant recipients. There are only 29 spots available, however, and admission is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Kolpas, along with a former scholarship student, teach Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They cover algebra, trigonometry, and beginning calculus in-depth, "deeper than one can ever do in a regular class," Kolpas said.
Those enrolled receive a TI calculator and bookstore voucher, both valued at $150, and can park free in the campus lots.
For fun and further learning experiences, the students take field trips each Friday. Past outings have included visits to the California Science Center, the Getty Museum, Griffith Park, or Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). "Students get to bond, talk about future goals, and form a learning community," said Kolpas.
Students from these disciplines now have a chance to apply for the Math and Science Transfer, Excellence and Retention (MASTER) Scholarship Program, a grant that awards up to $1,500 per year to financially disadvantaged students who plan to transfer to a four-year university.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) an independent agency of the federal government that funds educational institutions has given $500,000 to GCC for the next five years, in order to award up to 70 scholarships per year to students who maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average, demonstrate a financial need, are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, are enrolled in 12 units or more each semester, and plan to pursue higher education.
Sid Kolpas, professor of mathematics, runs the program and is in charge of selecting applicants.
"It's an amazing scholarship," Kolpas said, "All it asks of the student is to pass the classes and take advantage of all the things the scholarship offers," referring to the other advantages of the program, including access to a faculty mentor, an email newsletter, and the summer bridge/academic enrichment program.
This four-week curriculum starts June 30, and takes place in one of the classrooms on campus. It is open to all grant recipients. There are only 29 spots available, however, and admission is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Kolpas, along with a former scholarship student, teach Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They cover algebra, trigonometry, and beginning calculus in-depth, "deeper than one can ever do in a regular class," Kolpas said.
Those enrolled receive a TI calculator and bookstore voucher, both valued at $150, and can park free in the campus lots.
For fun and further learning experiences, the students take field trips each Friday. Past outings have included visits to the California Science Center, the Getty Museum, Griffith Park, or Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). "Students get to bond, talk about future goals, and form a learning community," said Kolpas.
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