Local residents Darwin and Becky Merrill started a scholarship at Marshalltown Community College two years ago, because they see MCC as a great asset to the area, particularly for students who cannot easily fund post-secondary education with savings, grants or scholarships. The first two years of selecting the recipients has been a rewarding experience for Becky, who reads the essays and often speaks to the applicants to get to know them.
There will be four Darwin & Becky Merrill Scholarships available for 2021-2022, with each scholarship being $2,500, which is approximately enough to pay for 12 credit hours at MCC. To be eligible, the applicants should be registering full-time at MCC, have a 3.0 GPA, be a Marshall County high school senior or graduate, and demonstrate financial need. Preference will be given to students who show interaction with their community through activities and volunteerism. The priority deadline to be considered is May 1, 2021. Review of candidates will begin at that time, and any late applications will be considered if there are not four recipients selected from the on-time applicants.
Applications are online at marshalltowncommunitycollegefoundation.org/apply, or contact your high school counselors’ office or MCC Foundation at (641) 844-5747. You will also be expected to include a transcript (may be unofficial) to show GPA, and write a short essay describing how this scholarship would be instrumental in helping you achieve your personal and employment goals.
As always, donors wishing to contribute to or establish scholarship funds are encouraged to contact MCC Foundation Executive Director Carol Geil for more information at 641-844-5747 or carol.geil@iavalley.edu. Gifts to the MCC Foundation are always tax-exempt!