Culpeper resident Erica Hodge credits Germanna Community College’s Guarantee Program with the ability to pursue a higher education.
The scholarship program provides financial assistance for books and tuition to students who don’t otherwise qualify for other loans or grants. It supplements federal and state financial aid and is often awarded to students after those forms have been determined.
“I wasn’t eligible for any grants or scholarships based on my husband’s income level,” said Hodge, a 28-year-old married mother of one. “They didn’t factor in that my husband’s hours were cut.
“The educational foundation listened to my story. I was shocked, ecstatic and very grateful. It covered everything. That was a huge weight off my shoulders.”
To help students like Hodge, the Germanna College Educational Foundation is hosting its 16th annual Monte Carlo black-tie benefit at the Daniel Technology Center April 17.
Tickets cost $75 each, and the doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m. The tables open at 7 p.m.
Once inside, guests will receive $50,000 in play money to try their luck at various tables. The casino games typically include Texas hold ’em, blackjack, roulette and slots.
Foundation director Mike Catell said it’s important for the community to support this program because “Germanna student enrollment continues to increase, and so the mission of the Educational Foundation is more critical than ever.”
Last year, the casino-inspired fundraiser brought in $60,000, according to GCC spokesman Mike Zitz. During its 15-year history, a total of $600,000 has been raised for the scholarship program.
In the fall of 2009, the GGP awarded $35,000, which assisted 93 students; this spring, the program has awarded $26,000 to 77 students.
Hodge, a 1999 Spotsylvania High School graduate, is pursuing a nursing career at Germanna with the goal of becoming a holistic nurse practitioner.
“I’d still have the ability to write prescriptions but have the knowledge of alternative medicines,” said Hodge, who is on track to earn her associate’s degree in May.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement