For third semester student, Jessica Falco, money determined whether she would pursue further education after graduating high school.

At the young age of two, Falco’s father passed away prior to her adoption being finalized, alongside that tragedy, Falco’s mother was forced into an early retirement, causing financial struggles for Falco and her family.

However, Falco was able to enroll at Elgin Community College, majoring in Musical Theatre and Early Childhood Education, thanks to the Elgin Community College Foundation Scholarships and Work-study Programs.

The Elgin Community College Foundation Scholarship is a scholarship opportunity given to ECC students made possible by donors and supporters. The ECC Foundation currently offers more than two hundred scholarships each academic year in four primary categories: financial need, academic and leadership excellence, career areas of study, and overcoming obstacles.

“I heard about the ECC Foundation Scholarship at the parent-student meeting that I went to when I was a senior in high school. They gave my mom and I a packet that mentioned everything about financial aid. They talked about the scholarship and how so many people neglect or ignore this scholarship and just go for individual scholarships instead. So I took a chance and was really lucky enough to receive the Purses with a Purpose Scholarship, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Karl Lehr Endowed History Major Scholarship and Federal Work-Study,” Falco said.

For many scholarships, students will need to complete classes, volunteer hours, and/or maintaining a certain cumulative GPA.

” I do quite a bit to stay successful throughout my college career. I have to keep my GPA up to a 2.0 or higher, which is very easy to do even if you’re not an academic person because I’ve always struggled academically in school. With my Karl Lehr scholarship, I have to take a total of three extra history classes before I graduate. Also, there’re events throughout the year that have to do with us who have received scholarships. If I’m free I will go to the events to show my appreciation for the grants I have received. It’s the right thing to do, plus they’re fun!” Falco said.

Students who receive the ECC Foundation Scholarship are also given the opportunity to meet the donors that made their education dreams happen.

“I’ve actually met my Donors at an Event that happened earlier in the semester. They were so kind and had so much wisdom to give. I couldn’t stop saying thank you and how much I appreciate them for what they have done for students like me. They inspired me to hopefully be a donor someday to help students like me,” Falco said.

Alongside the ECC Foundation Scholarship, ECC provides many opportunities in work-study programs. Work study programs are campus jobs that help finance your education. In addition to attending class, students typically spend between ten to twenty hours per week working on campus.

For a third-year student, Darlene Sandoval, the work-study program at ECC helped her pursue her education.

“When I was in high school, I was told that when I applied for FAFSA I should make sure to apply for work study so that the colleges would be able to see if I would be eligible to be a student worker. So when my FAFSA application was processed, I asked my academic advisor to help me research my eligibility for work study in hopes of obtaining a job at ECC. I already had prior knowledge of work-study programs, I just had to look into what type of work-study was available at ECC,” Sandoval said.

For Sandoval, the work-study program not only helps her financially, but it also helps her become a better member of her community.

“Having a work-study job at ECC, was my first taste in gaining independence. As a first job, work studies are great because in most of the jobs you’re there as a helper. You get given some responsibility, but not too much that you can negatively impact the work of the full-time workers in the workplace if you make a mistake. You gain responsibility, a bit of authority, and practicing balancing your life when it comes to a job and school,” Sandoval said.

Carolina Martinez is no stranger to the work-study programs at ECC. Martinez, a fourth semester student, followed her brother’s footsteps as he was a former student worker.

“My brother started working at Student Life first. At that time I had left my job and started being a full-time student. I needed a job and because of my schedule he suggested I’d try the work study,” Martinez said, “In Student Life, a student worker’s job consists of attending the front desk, greeting and answering questions students might have, along with making the student IDs. We also manage the college’s bulletin boards under Student Life, which are the ones you usually see collagued in posters. We also decorate the bulletin boards outside of the Office of Student Life with any upcoming events. If a student needs to schedule an appointment with one of the coordinators, we do the appointment and get their contact information. Among other tasks. But my job also consists in doing graphic designs, such as posters for events throughout the semester.”

Martinez is best known for her graphic design skills as they are used to create majority of the Student Life publicity throughout the semester. Despite being designed for students to have a stress-free job opportunity, the work-study programs can have their pros and cons.

“One challenge would have to be having little time afterwards for homework and just personal time, since I spend most of the day at the college,” Martinez said, “However, an accomplishment would be getting more “customer service” skills while interacting with the students and people that come into the office. I was very shy at the beginning, but I feel that it has changed.”

Martinez accredits her newly developed and improved skills regarding interacting with other people to her time working as a student worker.

“Work study is a great opportunity for full-time students at college or any student. It gives you flexibility between your class schedule and how many hours you can work. It is also a great opportunity to interact with other students, clubs, or ECC events. There are several places within ECC that you can do work study at, which is a good way to get to know your college,” Martinez said.

To apply for work-study programs and or the Elgin Community College Foundation Scholarships. Please contact the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office for assistance at (847)-214-7360 or visit them in Building B, Room B156.

As for students who are stopped financially from pursuing their dreams, Jessica Falco has some words of advice.
“To those students who are struggling, I know exactly what you’re going through. There is so much money going to waste every year that could go to help pay for students tuitions. I recommend going to the financial aid office and ask them what scholarships they offer and get some information, Not just for individual scholarships! Also to those who filled out their FAFSA and their parents “make too much money” I recommend going to the financial aid office and applying for the ECC Foundation Scholarship. There’s an essay that you have to write in order to get a scholarship. In that essay, you should write about how you need the scholarship and about your money troubles (don’t be too specific and don’t write about personal information) but say how your in need of a scholarship and how hard you’d work to maintain the scholarship and you’ll get a better chance of receiving  a scholarship,” Falco said.