College is a life-changer, and at Seminole State, it doesn’t have to break the bank
For Emily Gearhart, continuing her education beyond high school was more than a game-changer—it was a life-changer. She arrived at Seminole State College in 2016, fresh out of Deltona High School, the first in her family to go to college. She had an interest in biology, but at Seminole State, that staid subject was brought to life for Gearhart by biology professors Dr. Debbie Barr and Dr. Debra Socci. The professors encouraged her to investigate her passion outside the classroom through the biology department’s “Women in Science” field trips. Gearhart got the chance to hike through the Amazon jungle and witness its unique plants and animals and tour biolabs and research facilities in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The experience has propelled Gearhart to pursue a career in scientific research. And none of it would have been possible without financial support through Seminole State.
“I am extremely grateful to my instructors, who continuously motivated me to take part in study-abroad programs that opened doors to future opportunities,” says Gearhart, “and to the Foundation for Seminole State College for providing me with scholarships to obtain a higher education.”
The costs of going to college—tuition, books, housing, and food—add up quickly. But if you are already a Seminole State student, you’ll be eligible for financial support, including federal funding, grants, work-study and scholarships.
If you are a current Seminole State student enrolled in at least six credit hours, all you need to do is take 21 minutes to fill out the 2021-22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Or if you already have a 2021-22 FAFSA on file, you can refile to qualify for additional aid, including funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) if your financial situation has changed due to COVID-19.
The FAFSA is the key to applying for scholarships, federal financial aid such as the PELL grant that you don’t have to pay back and work-study programs to help students pay for college. It’s also the access point to government loans that offer lower interest rates and better protections than most other loans. And while students don’t have to show financial need to qualify for federal funds, the FAFSA is the easy way to apply for the many financial aid and scholarship opportunities offered by the school.
Seminole State College scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, special talent, or other criteria specified by the College. These scholarships include:
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- Admissions Scholarships
- Activities Scholarships
- Foundation Scholarships
- Program-specific Scholarships
- The Wayne M. Densch Scholarship for First-Generation Program
In addition, the Foundation for Seminole State College offers scholarships three times per year. Last year, it provided a total of $1.1 million in scholarship and emergency assistance to 1,880 students. There are also dozens of privately endowed scholarships available through the foundation.
Completing your postsecondary education is important. Today’s most in-demand careers are increasingly technical and require some sort of certificate, a bachelor’s degree, or a master’s degree. And postsecondary education pays off. A recent Georgetown University study found that graduates with a bachelor’s degree make over $1 million more than people without degrees in the course of their lifetimes. And of the 7.1 million net jobs lost during the Great Recession, nearly all had been held by workers with less than a bachelor’s degree—while the vast majority of jobs added during the recovery went to people with at least an associate degree.
More recently, 32% of layoffs during the first month of the pandemic affected people with a high school diploma or less, and 30% of them had only some college but no degree.
Seminole State offers more than 200 degrees, including seven Bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields and Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees that prepare graduates for immediate entry into their chosen career—with an overall placement rate that tops 90%. Seminole State’s Associate in Arts (A.A.) transfer program is a two-year course that parallels the first two years of a bachelor’s degree in the State University System, and the credits can be transferred to any of Florida’s 12 public universities. And Seminole State’s career certificates and Rapid Skills programs combine classroom instruction with real-world training to provide a head start into the workforce.
For instance, Seminole State utilized federal COVID relief funds to establish the Rapid Skills program which benefited numerous students whose livelihoods were impacted by the global pandemic. Margaret “Peggy” Bittikofer was one of the students who enrolled in the program.
She has always had a service mentality, partially inspired by growing up hearing stories of her grandfather who was a corporal in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. She began working in a grocery store at the age of 17 and had been steadily working toward a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. However, when COVID-19 affected her hours at work and forced her university’s program online, Bittikofer made a change and enrolled in Seminole State’s Law Enforcement Academy.
Through the Rapid Skills program at the College and sponsorship from the Winter Springs Police Department, Bittikofer is jumpstarting her career in public safety. “I like to be as planned out as I can be and the academy is exactly that,” she said. “I’ve just gained such a passion for law enforcement. All the knowledge I’ve been gaining has been extremely beneficial to me.” Following her successful completion of the academy, she will join the Winter Springs Police Department and continue to work toward her bachelor’s degree.
For those who have found themselves unsure of what steps to take next due to the pandemic, Bittikofer recommends pursuing your interests. “If you feel that in your heart you have a passion for one thing, then just go for it and the worst that can happen is that you find out that it is not for you,” she said, “then there are a million other things that you can do.”
So, if you’re a Seminole State student aiming to focus your studies in a particular area; a recent high school graduate just beginning your educational journey; or a professional seeking training to change careers or upgrade your job skills, check out the options and resources at seminolestate.edu/go. Continued education pays off—and thanks to financial aid, you probably don’t have to pay for all of it.