HUNDREDS OF SCHOLARSHIPS
ONE APPLICATION. WHY YOU SHOULD APPLY.
When I wrote about MHCC Foundation scholarships last spring, I had recently been awarded a scholarship after submitting an application in the fall. I was still a bit shocked that I had received one, and I was convinced that more students needed to know how much was available out there, and just how easy it was to apply.
This year, I’m writing about them from a different perspective: as a second-year scholarship recipient who can honestly say that I would not be here without them.
So with scholarship season upon us again, and the Fall Scholarship window closing on Oct. 15, I’m here again to share scholarship information every MHCC student needs to know.
Disclosure: Because I have personally received scholarships offered through the MHCC Foundation, I want to be transparent about that connection. What follows includes my own experience as well as updated information from the Foundation about this year’s scholarship cycle.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE THIS YEAR
As previously reported, the nonprofit arm of the college, The MHCC Foundation, works directly with community donors to support students through scholarships, program funding, and other campus initiatives. Last year, the Foundation facilitated more than $1 million in scholarship offers to MHCC students – awards made possible through donations from community members, businesses, faculty and alumni who want to give back to the college and broader community.
This year, as part of the From Here, Higher, 60th Anniversary celebration, the Foundation has embarked on what they’re calling the 60 Scholarships 60 Years initiative – an objective to establish 60 new scholarship commitments during the 2026-2027 academic year.
Shelley McFarland, Development and Content Coordinator for the MHCC Foundation shared that:
“Scholarships can truly change a student’s life. They provide financial relief, but just as importantly, they give students an emotional lift—the feeling that someone believes in them and is quietly investing in their dreams.
“We see that same impact on our donors, who are deeply moved by students’ gratitude and by knowing their support is making a difference. It’s a win-win for everyone.
As we celebrate the Foundation’s 60th anniversary, we’re excited to mark the occasion with a bold goal: 60 new scholarships. It’s a powerful way to expand our mission and help even more students move toward their educational dreams.”
ONE APPLICATION, HUNDREDS OF OPPORTUNITIES
The process remains unchanged from our reporting last year. To be considered for literally hundreds of scholarships, students need only complete one application, accessible online at: https://mhcc.academicworks.com/. The whole process typically takes only one to one and a half hours.
Let’s say that again: To be considered for literally hundreds of scholarships, students need only complete one application.
"WHAT IF I'M NOT SCHOLARSHIP MATERIAL?"
I am not an honors student. I’m not an athlete or a traditional student right out of high school. I’m a middle-aged, returning student with some really ugly marks on my transcript that I was certain would all but disqualify me from most scholarship opportunities. But as McFarland said during last year’s interview, “Gone are the days where you had to be the star athlete or a 4.0 student.”
McFarland further explained that “We have scholarships for part-time, as little as taking three credits; we have scholarships for full-time, for all the different majors, and for different GPA scales.” In fact, McFarland reported that some scholarships require GPAs as low as 2.0 or 2.5.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR APPLICATION STRONGER
Applications are reviewed and scored by independent reviewers, so essays are important. However, updated scoring criteria are available online in the FAQ section of the MHCC Scholarships webpage. Students can find an entire library of video resources on YouTube explaining the process step-by-step, and for students who prefer an in-person or more individualized approach, support is also available on campus through the Tutoring Center located in the library, where students can receive help with their scholarship essays. McFarland says that she is often available to help students with their essays as well.
WHY IT MATTERS
Managing even a part-time course load can be a lot to handle for anyone, but for most community college students it doesn’t stop there. Many of us have to juggle our coursework along with busy work schedules, family responsibilities, and more.
I speak from personal experience when I say that financial stress can absolutely destroy a student’s ability to succeed in school. But don’t take it from me; A 2024 national survey conducted by Ellucian and EMI Research Solutions found that 59% of college students had considered dropping out due to financial stress, 61% said financial stress negatively impacted their academic performance, and 78% reported negative impacts on their mental health.
Ellucian’s 2026 Student Voice Report also found that 56% of currently enrolled college students work full time. For students balancing full-time work with college, finding enough hours in the day for coursework can be difficult in its own right – leaving even less time for co-curricular activities and other valuable student experiences.
I reported on this last year, but I did so without truly understanding just how impactful those missed student experiences could be.
WHAT I KNOW NOW THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THEN
When I enrolled in classes last fall, I honestly didn’t know how I would financially sustain myself through to a second term. On a whim, I completed the Foundation scholarship application with less than 12 hours before the window closed. In late November, I received the email notifying me that I had been chosen as a recipient, and that changed everything.
The financial support afforded me the ability to secure my way through the full 2025-2026 academic year, and I was able to renew that scholarship, via the same scholarship portal I’d applied through in the first place, in March to fund my way through this year.
More than that, though, the scholarship support I have received so far, both financially and emotionally, has helped make it possible for me to participate in student media, take on leadership as the Editor-in-Chief, remain enrolled full time, build my portfolio, make lasting connections and pursue opportunities I otherwise could not, or maybe would not, have afforded to spend time on.
I’ve rediscovered myself and my passion through those experiences. I’ve been able to embrace a dream I once believed was out of my reach, and feel connected to my community in a way I didn’t believe was possible. So it’s not an exaggeration to say that I would not be here today had I not applied for that scholarship. I can only imagine what opportunities are being missed by those students who need the support, but for whatever reason, never apply.
WHEN ARE SCHOLARSHIPS DUE
Scholarship season at MHCC happens twice a year. The primary scholarship application window for the 2026-2027 academic year was open from Jan. 1 through March 31 with notifications sent out in mid-May; but the secondary round is open now, running from Aug. 1 through Oct. 15, to distribute any remaining funds as well as any scholarships that became available later in the year. Notifications for these offers will go out in mid-November.
What’s especially great is that if a student already applied during the primary window, their application is automatically rolled over into this secondary round as well. If their application needs updating, it’s as simple as logging into their scholarship portal at https://mhcc.academicworks.com/ before the Oct. 15 deadline to make their changes.
APPLY ANYWAY
The conclusion of my reporting from last year has not changed: The Foundation has worked hard to ensure that these scholarships are available and accessible to every student. If a student is unsure whether or not they qualify, the advice from the Foundation is clear: Apply anyway.
If a student has applied before and didn’t receive a scholarship, they are encouraged to contact Shelley McFarland directly. She’s available to review their original application and give them some pointers on how to improve it.
Take it from someone who did not believe they would qualify, but took the time and applied anyway. That couple of hours I spent agonizing over my essay responses earned me an open door to opportunities I didn’t even know existed. Without the MHCC Foundation scholarship, I would not be here today.
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