Desert Messenger

August 7, 2019 www.DesertMessenger.com 19 AWC offers new micro-scholarship Transfer Services introduces new RaiseMe micro-scholarship program Yuma, AZ – Students at Arizona Western College (AWC) hoping to attain a four-year degree can now prepare for a successful path to transfer as soon as they begin com- munity college with the help of a new joint student success initiative in partnership with the college pre- paredness platform RaiseMe. Through RaiseMe, community col- lege students earn incremental "micro-scholarships" from partici- pating four-year colleges for strong academic performance, involve- ment in extracurricular activities, and other achievements that sup- port academic growth and progress towards successful associate degree completion and eventual transfer to a four-year college. AWC's Transfer Services department has partnered with the RaiseMe micro-scholar- ship program to support student associate degree completion and revolutionize the transfer process. AWC students can join RaiseMe for free and begin earning scholarships for their progress in community college at any point before apply- ing for a transfer. RaiseMe's micro- scholarship program is designed to reward achievements and tasks that prepare students to be successful transfer candidates, while simulta- neously providing a preview into fi - nancial aid available from four-year colleges for transfer students. Some examples of achievements for which AWC students can now earn trans- fer micro-scholarships on RaiseMe include: • $25 for each "A" in a 100-level course • $50 for each "A" in a 200-level course • $200 for taking a full course load of 12 units per semester • $500 for completing an associate degree Students can begin to earn RaiseMe micro-scholarships from colleges as early as the fi rst semester of their associate degree, money that rep- resents a guaranteed minimum in fi nancial assistance that they would receive upon applying and being ac- cepted to a school. A BROADER PUSH TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY COLLEGE STU- DENT SUCCESS This new offering is a part of a larger movement among 2-year and 4-year universities across the nation to pro- vide additional resources to commu- nity college students in supporting their transfer pathways and their student success. Starting in 2018, mi- cro-scholarship programs for com- munity college students on RaiseMe have served thousands of individuals hoping to transfer to four-year col- leges across the country. "We are excited to have a partner- ship with a platform that offers our students fi nancial opportunities and effective transfer resources," said AWC Transfer Services Program Coordinator Angela Amezaga. "It is never too early to start researching the transition for a university de- gree and we encourage all students to use these resources for a success- ful transfer. As a department and institution, we are defi nitely sup- porting students and AWC's Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) of doubling baccalaureate attainment in our community by 2035." For more information or to sign up for free, students can visit www. raise.me/transfer. Students can also visit www.azwestern.edu/ scholarships for additional details on transfer scholarships. For assistance, contact AWC Transfer Services at transfer. services@azwestern.edu or (928) 344-7638. Or visit the department's website at www.azwestern.edu/stu- dent-support/transfer-services. Praise be to the Lord of the Universe who has created us and made us into tribes and nations, that we may know each other, not that we may despise each other. If the enemy incline towards peace, do thou also incline towards peace, and trust in God, for the Lord is the one that heareth and knoweth all things. And the servants of God, Most Gracious are those who walk on the Earth in humility, and when we address them, we say 'Peace.' - MUSLIM PRAYER FOR PEACE www.DesertMessenger.com

• Cover