WINTERVILLE—The Pitt Community College Foundation has partnered with the Francis M. Barnes Memorial Trust to establish a new scholarship for PCC students from Martin County.
According to PCC Scholarships Coordinator Kim Simpkins, the foundation established the Barnes Trust Scholarship Fund through a $7,500-contribution it received in March and an additional $5,000 this month. The money, she said, will be distributed to students in the form of scholarship grants that do not have to be repaid.
Joel Thigpen, a trustee with the Barnes Memorial Trust, says the new scholarships at Pitt are part of the charitable organization’s effort to “enhance the educational level of and educational opportunities available to residents of Martin County for the long-term betterment of Martin County ….” The goal, he said, is to fund the education of individuals who will either remain in Martin County or return to it upon completion of their college studies.
To be considered for the Barnes Scholarship, Simpkins says students must reside in Martin County and intend to remain living there after graduation. They must enroll at PCC full- or part-time, either immediately out of high school or with 12 college credits already completed.
Simpkins says applicants must also have a documented financial need – as determined by a completed FAFSA application – and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, a standard they must maintain for the duration of their participation in the scholarship program.
Students can apply for Barnes scholarship grants through PCC’s online general scholarship application. When completing the form, Simpkins says they should select “apply-to” and then “Barnes Memorial Trust Awards,” which requires additional information.
Simpkins says it’s been a busy summer for PCC Foundation officials, who are hard at work awarding and notifying scholarship recipients before the start of the 2020-21 academic year in August.
“We experienced a delayed start due to the coronavirus pandemic, but our goal is to finish the award and notification process by the end of July,” she said. “Applications for most of our scholarships are closed at this time, though there are a few still open, and they can be found on the PCC website.”
Thus far, the PCC Foundation has received 569 scholarship applications for the 2020-21 academic year. Simpkins says 119 scholarships have been awarded and another 335 are on track. A total dollar figure will not be available until the award/notification process has been completed, she said, adding that students may contact her for more information by calling (252) 493-7902 or emailing pccscholarships@email.pittcc.edu.
07/27/2020