Manchester Community College Receives More Than $1 Million in Aid for Connecticut Students

Earlier this week, the State of Connecticut Department of Higher Education awarded Manchester Community College $1.3 million in institutional aid under the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship Grant Program.

The Roberta B. Willis Scholarship, formerly the Governor’s Scholarship, provides need-based awards for Connecticut residents who attend Connecticut public or non-profit private colleges full-time or part-time. The scholarship awards up to $4,500 for full-time equivalent study in a 2- or 4-year program.

The scholarship was named for State Representative Willis in May 2016, upon the announcement of her anticipated retirement after 16 years in the General Assembly. Most recently she served as House Chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, and a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Environment Committee. Her constituency is the 64th District, where she represented the towns of Salisbury, Cornwall, Sharon, Goshen, Falls Village, Kent, Canaan, Norfolk and Torrington.

“This addition of grant funds to Manchester Community College’s financial aid resources will allow the college to provide tuition assistance to countless more Connecticut students,” stated Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management G. Duncan Harris. “Sometimes only a few hundred dollars can be the contributing factor in someone not enrolling in college. With the additional funds from the Willis Scholarship, we can bridge the tuition gap for more students.”

Students who are have applied and are eligible for financial aid will be considered for the scholarship. Students who wish to apply for financial aid can do so at www.fafsa.ed.gov. There is no charge to apply, and all students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Fall semester classes start Monday, August 29; accelerated classes begin in September and October.

Prospective and continuing students are invited to visit MCC on Saturday, August 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., for a Super Saturday enrollment blitz. The following offices will be open: Admissions, Advising and Counseling Services, Registrar’s and Bursar’s. For additional information, please contact the Admissions office at 860-512-3210.

To learn more about the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship Grant Program at MCC, contact Ivette Rivera-Dreyer, director of financial aid, at 860-512-3380 or email irivera-dreyer@manchestercc.edu.

About MCC

Students of any age who possess the desire to pursue higher education are welcome at Manchester Community College. MCC is proud of its academic excellence, new facilities, flexible schedules, small classes, low tuition and faculty with both academic and “real world” credentials. The college offers over 60 programs, transfer options, financial aid and scholarships, as well as access to baccalaureate degrees through guaranteed admissions programs with several universities. The main, park-like campus, which is easily accessible from I-84, is also the home of Great Path Academy, a middle college high school, serving grades 9-12. The college’s second location, the Manchester Community College Arts and Education Center, opened in downtown Manchester in 2012. MCC was named as one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges for 2015 by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.