GMC offering scholarship to workers hit by COVID-19

Published 11:00 am Wednesday, April 22, 2020

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Whether directly or indirectly, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of all Americans.

Some have contracted the disease or know a person who has, while others have had their normal daily routines turned completely upside down. Some have the luxury of working from home, but still many others have had their hours, or possibly even their entire jobs cut as part of cost-saving initiatives. 

In response to the pandemic, Georgia Military College has created a unique scholarship opportunity for local individuals who have been furloughed from work, had their hours reduced or worst of all lost their job due to the economic climate. The scholarship will cover 50 percent of applicants’ tuition, fees and book costs and can be applied toward up to 12 credit hours in the college’s summer or fall terms, giving them the opportunity to begin or continue their postsecondary education. This scholarship will be available to up to 25 applicants each for the fall and summer terms. 

“We wanted to define who we wanted to reach out to,” said Col. Nelson Kraft, executive director for the GMC Milledgeville campus. “It wasn’t just those furloughed from their businesses and jobs, but also those that had reduced hours, those that did lose their jobs and I’m sure there’s probably a few other examples we haven’t thought of. The bottom line though, is we wanted to provide an educational opportunity for those affected. As people come to take advantage of this scholarship, we’ll learn more about how the people of this community have been affected.”

What has been dubbed the “GMC Community Response Campaign” is open to first-time GMC students or those who have attended before but have been away two or more terms. 

“The only requirement of those that take advantage of this scholarship is they have to apply for federal and state aid,” Kraft added. “That’s pretty standard at any college whether it be a two-year, four-year or even a technical college. In order to be eligible for a scholarship you’ve got to complete the federal and state aid application.”

The scholarship was the brainchild of assistant GMC Milledgeville director Tiffany Bayne, who has held her position since last August. Payments on students’ remaining balances after scholarship funds are applied will not be due until Nov. 2, and Bayne said that depending on an applicants’ financial aid eligibility, that balance may be zero. That, of course, will differ from applicant to applicant. 

“Our admissions and financial aid teams are here and ready to walk these students through the steps they need to take to be enrolled,” said Bayne.

The GMC summer term is set to begin June 8, and college officials said GMC can get applicants in up to a week before that date. Those planning to take advantage of the opportunity are asked to contact the school as soon as possible though so they can be helped through the financial aid process. GMC is currently accepting applicants for both the fall and summer terms.

Like all colleges and schools throughout the state, GMC has moved its students to remote online learning for the ongoing spring quarter due to the spread of COVID-19. 

“When COVID really started to hit here, things were changing by the day and sometimes even by the hour,” Bayne said. “Our faculty found out on a Friday at about 6 p.m. that GMC had made the decision to go into remote learning out of caution and safety for our students. By Monday morning, they were ready to finish out the term remotely. I was impressed with their incredible dedication to providing a seamless experience for our students.”

It is unknown right now as to when colleges will be able to resume face-to-face classroom instruction, so those whose jobs have been affected by the pandemic and utilize the scholarship for the summer may be attending GMC online. 

Interested applicants may reach Bayne via phone at 478-387-4920 or email at tbayne@gmc.edu. 

Local high school graduate scholarship deadline extended

Earlier this year GMC announced another unique scholarship opportunity for local high school graduates. Since the original deadline was around the time high schools transitioned to online learning, the deadline to apply for the local graduates scholarship has been extended to April 30. Students applying must live at a Baldwin County address, be on track to graduate from high school, carry a 2.5 GPA and be willing to register for a full course load at GMC (12 hours) in order to qualify. This scholarship is open to graduates of Baldwin High School, GMC Prep and John Milledge Academy as well as homeschool students in the county.