Start a Scholarship
Empower The Next Generation!
With over 160 funds awarding more than $230,000 to students annually, scholarships offered through the BC3 Education Foundation are a vital part of BC3's mission to prepare students for success through access to high quality education.
How to Start a Scholarship
The BC3 Education Foundation is proud to serve as the link between donors and students by establishing and administering BC3 scholarships. Foundation staff work with donors to create a scholarship name, criteria and award amounts. The BC3 Education Foundation also handles the awarding of scholarships.
Interested in starting a scholarship, or want more information?
Contact Bobbi Jo Cornetti, Development Coordinator, BC3 Education Foundation
BC3 Scholarship Program
The BC3 Education Foundation facilitates two types of scholarships: endowed and annual. Both scholarships may be named for the donor, or in memory or honor of a loved one. Donors may also determine eligibility criteria and awarding frequency.
Types of Scholarships
The donor commits to make an annual gift and that gift is awarded each year.
Annual scholarships are typically a minimum of $500, an amount that covers the cost of a three-credit class. An annual scholarship continues as long as the donor provides annual support. The award amount is based on the scholarship funds available on June 1. Scholarships are awarded in August for the academic year. Annual scholarship fund reminders are sent to donors each spring.
An Endowed Scholarship is permanent and will continue to provide an annual scholarship gift forever.
A minimum principal of $15,000 is required to endow a scholarship. The principal of an Endowed Scholarship is not spent and the annual scholarship award is paid from the earnings of the collective scholarship endowment. The annual payout percentage rate is established each year by the Foundation Board.
Once the principal is endowed for a year and has time to grow, annual awards are paid from the fund's earnings. The higher the principal, the higher the annual award. Capital gains are reinvested into the principal allowing it to grow.
Donors may establish the Endowed Scholarship right away or take from three to five years to reach the endowment amount. Donors also have the flexibility to create an annual scholarship and establish an endowed fund at the same time.
For more information on how students apply for scholarships and how recipients are chosen, visit the BC3 Scholarships application page.
BC3 Scholarship Information
Your Gifts at Work
When you establish a scholarship, you will have the opportunity to witness the impact on a student's life. Scholarship gifts not only provide meaningful financial support by alleviating financial barriers, but they also serve as encouragement and empower students to focus on academic and personal goals and pursuits.
You may start your own named scholarship, or your gift can serve as an honorarium or memorial for a loved one. Your scholarship will become a point of connection between you and your student recipient(s). Establishing a named scholarship will give you the opportunity to attend our annual Oak Hills Celebration, an event to honor scholarship donors, scholarship recipients, and distinguished alumni alongside friends, family, and community members. In addition, donors receive personalized thank you letters from their recipients, annual award statements and are invited to join us at BC3 events and programs throughout the year.
How Do Students Apply?
The BC3 Education Foundation utilizes an online scholarship management platform that allows students to submit their application and supplemental materials. This platform automatically applies students to scholarship awards for which they are eligible.
Students must apply and register for the fall semester, and can then complete the online scholarship application between April 15th to July 1st each year. Students are notified if they receive a scholarship by mid-August.
Scholarships are based on academic merit and a variety of other criteria and are available to all students for all academic programs.
Our BC3 Scholarships page for students features information on how and when to apply and a link to our online scholarship application.
Scholarship Stories
Have questions? Contact us!
Bobbi Jo Cornetti
Development Coordinator
bobbi.cornetti@bc3.edu
724.287.8711, ext. 8175
General Inquiries
Email the Education Foundation and we will get back to you!
bc3foundation@bc3.edu