Watafuta ufadhili wa masomo? Jiandae sasa kuwa mgombea bora.

Na Liz Harvey

Yeyote yule atakaye kuendeleza masomo yake anaelewa ugumu wa kulipia masomo, vitabu na vilevile kulipa karo. Mradi umejisajili, kuhudhuria masomo darasani, kusomea mitihani, kuandika karatasi – yote huku ukifanya kazi yaweza kuwa yenye usumbufu. Kizuri ni kwamba Maine ina nafasi nyingi za ufadhili wa masomo kwa wasomi wa rika zote. Kuna ufadhili wa program zinazochukua muda mfupi, masomo ya lugha ya Kiingereza, masomo ya kitaaluma, masomo ya walio na umri wa makamo wanaorudi shuleni, masomo ya shule za upili, vyuo vya kadri , vyuo vya kibiashara na mengine mengi. Kila kitengo kina mahitaji tofauti. Huku wengine wakikuhitaji tu kuonyesha haja ya hela, wengine huegemea uongozi, ukakamavu na huduma katika jamii. Ufadhili wingi wenye ushindani huangazia sana uwezo na ufanisi katika masomo. Baadhi ya usajili huhitaji uandishi wa mtungo au nakala, mengine hayahitaji. Kabla ya kuzungumza kuhusu ufadhili wowote wa masomo, ni muhimu kuelewa kinachokifanya kuwa bora kwa zote.

UONGOZI, UKAKAMAVU, HUDUMA KATIKA JAMII.
Nyingi za ufadhili huangalia sana stadi za uongozi. Je, ulikuwa mkuu wa kilabu shuleni?Umeanza kilabu chako ama kikundi cha jamii? Ni muhimu kuonyesha mifano ya jinsi ulivyo kiongozi – kazini, nyumbani, shuleni, mahala pa kuabudu na katika jamii. Kingine ambacho wafadhili huangalia ni ukakamavu. Je una msukumo thabiti kufikia malengo yako? Je umeepuka vikwazo vingi? Wewe ni mkakamavu? Unakubali mabadiliko na kuzoea ipasavyo? Toa mifano. Kumbuka kisa ulichodhihirisha ukakamavu, msukumo na uvumilivu. Huduma katika jamii huwa ni kiungo muhimu katika usajili. Je we hujitolea katika jamii? Umefanya katika kituo cha chakula cha mtaa? Kuonyesha kuwa unawahudumia walio katika jamii ni njia kubwa ya kufanya usajili wako kuwa wa kipekee.

UFANISI NA UWEZO KATIKA MASOMO
huku ufadhili mwingine hauangazia masomo, mengine huhitaji kiwango cha chini cha GPA. Uwezo wa masomo si gredi nzuri tu; pia inamaanisha ufanisi katika Nyanja zingine za masomo. Umepokea tuzo zozote za kimasomo? Je, unahudhuria darasa za walio bora? Je una kiu ya kujua? Usajili wako unahitaji kuonyesha kuwa una hamu ya kupewa changamoto na una kiu ya kusoma.MTUNGO ni sehemu nzuri ya kuangazia mifano ya ufanisi, uongozi, ukakamavu na huduma katika jamii. Watauangalia pia uandishi wako. Unatumia lugha sanifu,misamiati mwafaka na muundo unaostahili? Hoja zako zimejengwa na kuelezwa vyema? Hakikisha kuwa kuna mtu wa kuhakikisha mtungo wako ikiwezekana anaezungumza kiingereza vyema au mwalimu wa kiingereza. Usivuke hatua hii. Inaweza kuwa uamuzi wa kupata ufadhili au la. Kumbuka, thibitisho ni muhimu. Toa mifano ya kipekee ya namna ulivyohitimu kuliko wengine wote. Shirika za ufadhili zinatafuta wasajili walio na mipango mizuri ya masomo yao na maisha yao ya baadaye. Unataka kusomea nini? Itachukua muda gani? Ukiwa na malengo basi ni vizuri zaidi. Hakikisha unaeleza namna utakavyodhibiti kazi yako na majukumu ya shule. Baada ya kuelezea maazimio, elezea namna utavyolipa karo na utekeleze majukumu.

MAPENDEKEZO.
Mwulizie mtu anayekufahamu vyema akuandikie barua ya mapendekezo. Umkakabidhi ujumbe kukuhusu na uwaelekeze kuandika barua hii sambamba na malengo yako. Mpatie anayekuandikia barua hii muda wa kutosha. Walimu wana shughuli nyingi hivyo basi wiki tatu itakuwa sawa.

MPANGO SAWASAWA.
Mpango ni sehemu muhimu katika mchakato mzima. Ni kawaida kuwazia mambo haya ikiwa kuna salio la wiki moja tu muda wa kujisajili kutimia. Anza sasa kuwa na mpango wa jinsi ya kupata ufadhili wa masomo miezi michache ama hata mwaka kabla ya kuanza masomo. Jiunge na vilabu, jitolee katika jamii, na uzitumie nafasi za uongozi iwapo kuna fursa. Muda wa kujisajili huangaliwa sana. Iandike tarehe na uanze kuweka mipango mapema. HITIMISHO. Ili kufikia ndoto yako ya kupata ufadhili wa masomo – inahitaji kuifanyia kazi na kuwa na maono. Kuwa na mpango mapema ili kuwa na usajili wenye kunata. Kumbuka kuwa kufanya uamuzi kati yako na mwenzako anayetafuta nafasi ya ufadhili yaweza kuwa yenye ushindani. Piga hatua mbele ili uwe bora zaidi. Hifadhi ujumbe huu kisha uketi na rafiki au mshauri akusaidie kuchagua ufadhili ulio bora kwako.

LIST OF SCHOLARSHIPS PROSPERITYME Deadline: March 1 https://www.prosperityme.org/scholarships ProsperityME will award scholarships of up to $5,000 per school year ($10,000 maximum per student). To be eligible, candidates must Not be eligible for federal financial aid, must live in the state of Maine, sustain a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher, plan to enroll or currently are enrolled in a Maine college or university and demonstrate financial need. For more information, contact Byron Bartlett – [email protected]

MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION https://www.mainecf.org/find-a-scholarship/available-scholarships/ Maine Community Foundation scholarships provide financial assistance for Maine residents attending accredited colleges, universities, technical and career schools. Some funds also support students attending private high schools, camps, and experiential learning programs. For more information, contact Liz Fickett – [email protected]

Maine Community Foundation Adult Learner Scholarship https://www.mainecf.org/find-a-scholarship/available-scholarships/for-adult-learners/ If you are an adult returning to school, the Adult Learner Scholarship is specifically aimed at supporting you. Applicants may be enrolled full time or part time. For more information, contact Cherie Galyean – [email protected].

Maine Community Foundation – Short-term credential award – up to $1,500 Application Deadline: 1st of each month for short-term credential awards. The short-term award will have a rolling deadline of the 1st of each month. Applicants are eligible for a short-term award if the program lasts less than a full semester. See web site for more criteria.

Maine Community Foundation – Long-term scholarship award – $1,500 – $5,000 Application Deadlines: June 15 and November 15. This award is renewable. Applicants are eligible for a long-term award if the program will last more than a full semester. See web site for more criteria.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MAINE IMMIGRANTS http://smischolarships.org/smi-scholarship-application/ Applications must be received at least two weeks before your class or program begins. This scholarship helps build language & professional skills for higher education. See requirements on web site.

COMPETITIVE SKILLS SCHOLARSHIP – MAINE CAREER CENTER https://www.mainecareercenter.gov/cssp.shtml This scholarship helps workers learn new skills. If you are eligible, you can receive up to $6,000 per year for a full-time student and $3,000 per year for a part-time student. You can qualify for a grant each year you remain in your training program. Visit the web site to see a list of job skills that qualify for the grant. Check with the Career Center to see if it is an open application period.

UNITIL SCHOLARSHIP FUND https://unitil.com/our-community/unitil-scholarship-fund

Deadline: April 2 For high school students who plan to pursue degree in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Six $5,000 scholarships awarded to students who live in and attend high school in one of Unitil’s service territories. See web site for list.

JACK KENT COOKE FOUNDATION These scholarships are very competitive. Only for the highest achievers. Cooke Young Scholars Program

Deadline: March 22, 2021 https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/young-scholars-program/ The Cooke Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for high-performing 7th grade students with financial need. It provides comprehensive academic and college advising, as well as financial support for school, Cooke-sponsored summer programs, internships, and other learning enrichment opportunities.

Cooke College Scholarship Deadline: October 30, 2020 https://www.jkcf.org/our-stories/apply-now-2021-college-scholarship/ The College Scholarship awards up to $40,000 per year for four years of undergraduate study to complete their bachelor’s degree. The application is available exclusively via the Common App’s online platform.

Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Deadline: Early January 2022 https://www.jkcf.org/our-stories/apply-2021-transfer-scholarship The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship awards community college students with up to $40,000 per year for up to three years to complete their bachelor’s degree making it among the largest private scholarships for community college transfer students in the country.

SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH LOCAL COLLEGES All colleges offer scholarships. On your first day of school, ask the admissions counselor or your advisor about available scholarships.

SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (SMCC) https://www.smccme.edu/admissions-aid/scholarships/ The SMCC Foundation administers a variety of scholarships with a range of criteria from financial need to academic merit. The application process is simple: one form to apply for all foundation scholarships you qualify for. Deadline is the end of August and are usually awarded in October or November.

SMCC – Path to Graduation Path to Graduation (P2G) P2G is designed to help first-year college students plan for success and achieve their goals. The program helps new college students connect with their peers and offers one-to-one guidance. https://www.smccme.edu/academics/success-programs/p2g/

TRIO Student Support Services provides support for low-income, first-generation or disabled students from the first day of college through graduation. Supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the program provides individualized advising, peer mentoring and other support services aimed at student success. Trio is also offered at USM. https://www.smccme.edu/academics/success-programs/trio/ Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is The Official Honor Society for Two-year Colleges. If you are in the honor society at SMCC, joining Phi Theta Kappa is strongly recommended. PTK offers its own scholarships and showing you are a member is beneficial when applying to a four-year college. https://www.ptk.org

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE (USM) The Promise Scholarship Applications for the 2021-2022 school year are being accepted through March 15th. https://usm.maine.edu/scholarships/promise-scholarship The Promise Scholarship program is designed to help Maine students overcome financial and academic barriers, remain in school, and graduate in four years with less debt, prepared to make their own contributions to Maine’s social and economic well-being. The Promise Scholarship serves as a “top-off” award to ensure 100% of USM tuition and fees are covered for up to four years. The program generally accepts a cohort of up to 25 students. For more information, please contact Daniel Barton at 207-780-4199 or [email protected].

Osher Re-entry Scholarship https://usm.maine.edu/scholarships/re-entry-scholarship-programs For students who have experienced a cumulative gap in their education of 5 or more years. Not to exceed $5,000 per student, per award cycle (12 months) and are to be applied to tuition exclusively.

COLLEGES IN UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM – ADULT DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS https://ums-scholarship.fluidreview.com

The Adult Degree Completion Scholarship fund supports students returning to school to complete their academic studies.

The Opening Doors Scholarship offers assistance to newly enrolled students pursuing their degree or workforce credential.

The Senior Citizens Waiver offers tuition and Board approved mandatory fees for students 65 years of age or older who register for undergraduate courses on a credit or audit basis at any university of the University of Maine System.

HUSSON UNIVERSITY https://www.husson.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/ UNIVERSITY OF MAINE https://go.umaine.edu/apply/scholarships UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND https://www.une.edu/sfs/undergraduate/financing-your-education/grants-and-scholarships About the author: Liz Harvey is a Writing Tutor at Southern Maine Community College. She is also a Scholarship Reader for the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.