written by Ben Chambers, Director of Public Relations and Information for West Georgia Technical College
The West Georgia Technical College Foundation awarded 66 students with nearly $37,000 in scholarships for Fall Semester 2019.
In addition, the WGTC Foundation guaranteed $90,000 in tuition for summer semester and $75,000 in tuition for fall semester through its gap funding program. The gap funding program was established by the Foundation in Spring 2018 in order to help the college retain more students. The program “fills the gap” in a student’s ability to fully fund his or her education at WGTC. Students are expected to re-pay the amount awarded to them, establishing a culture of responsibility and creating sustainability for future students in need of funding. Since its inception in 2018, the gap funding program has retained 587 students at WGTC. The WGTC Foundation has only expended $4,218 on the program because the vast majority of students have repaid their gap award.
“The WGTC Foundation is so humbled to be an investor in the educational journey of many students here at WGTC,” Executive Director of Institutional Advancement Kelsey Jones said. “We are doubly fortunate to have very engaged partners in education who contribute each year to our scholarship and gap funding programs, making these life-changing stories possible.”
Victoria Christie, a recipient of a WGTC Foundation Scholarship, thanked the Foundation in a written note.
“By awarding me this scholarship you have helped to significantly lighten my financial burden, allowing me to lessen the workload I have had to take on in an effort to pay for books and other education related expenses,” Christie said. “Your generosity has inspired me to continue looking towards the positive and to give back to the community and others who may be struggling.”
Scholarships are offered each semester to students in a variety of programs and locations at WGTC. For more information about scholarship opportunities available, please visit www.westgatech.edu/foundation-scholarship.
To learn more about establishing or contributing to a scholarship fund or how you can get involved with gap funding, please contact Kelsey Jones at kelsey.jones@westgatech.edu.
