Students Gain New Scholarships

February 13, 2012, Brevard County, FL - Brevard Community College students who participate in UCF’s DirectConnect program have a new opportunity for scholarships.

It comes from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, which has announced it will offer a $1.5 million challenge grant to support need-based scholarships.

The foundation will provide $500,000 to benefit students who attend BCC, Lake-Sumter Community College, Seminole State College and Valencia College.

The colleges will raise money to match the foundation’s contribution, increasing the value of that endowment to $1 million.

The other $1 million of the foundation’s matching funds will help build a $3 million scholarship endowment available to students once they make the transition to UCF.

Every dollar given by the colleges to this fund will be matched by both UCF and the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.

The first scholarships are expected to be awarded in 2013. They will be geared toward students who may come from a “working poor” socio-economic class and have 2.0 GPA, according to the UCF Foundation.

BCC students who wish to apply can so through the college’s financial aid office.

Dr. Jim Richey, BCC President, said the scholarships reflect his plan to seek new ways to increase financial aid to qualified students.

“Scholarships such as the Johnson Foundation make the difference for students to get the education they need,” said Richey. “We’re extremely happy to be a participant because of the important impact it will have.”

Richey signed the agreement for BCC when UCF made the scholarship announcement Jan. 27. The Brevard Community College Foundation Board of Directors approved the plan Feb. 8.

Once the endowments are fully funded, the investment proceeds from a total of $4 million will benefit students at the four colleges and UCF.

Recipients of the scholarship will be deemed “Johnson Scholars.” Throughout their college careers they will have special program requirements that emphasize leadership development.

DirectConnect to UCF began in 2006 to increase the access of BCC students’ and others in Central Florida to the opportunities that earning a college degree can provide. The partnership guarantees entrance and accelerated admission to UCF after students complete their associate’s degrees from one of the four colleges.

Joint advisers from the colleges and UCF are available to the students to help create a four-year plan. This makes the transfers as seamless as possible and better prepares students to complete bachelor’s degrees.

During the 2010-11 school year, 6,805 new students enrolled at UCF from the program, and a little more than one third of UCF graduates during that same year participated in DirectConnect to UCF.

The Johnson Scholarship Foundation is a private foundation with a mission to assist disadvantaged people. All scholarships and grants are made through selected institutions.

The foundation believes that education can empower disadvantaged people to improve their economic circumstances and quality of life.

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Brevard Community College is committed to engaging our diverse
population in quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities which
successfully meet individual and community needs.