Hocking College expands Choose Ohio First Scholarship opportunities to six additional programs
Students at Hocking College have more avenues to take advantage of the state-wide scholarship program. Administrators increased eligibility to six programs at the college and added scholarship funds for twelve additional students.
Twelve additional Choose Ohio First Scholarships will be available to Hocking College students starting next year. The number of eligible programs is also expanding, with six existing programs being added to the list of eligible degrees and certifications. The state-wide program, aimed at encouraging students to pursue education in high-demand fields, provides full scholarships for qualifying students.
The Choose Ohio First Scholarship program was started in 2008 by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) to develop a more highly trained workforce by expanding educational opportunities in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine education) fields. Eligibility requirements state that students must be residents of Ohio and enrolled full- or part-time in a STEMM field at an institution of higher learning. Funding is provided by the ODHE while the selection of scholarship recipients is left to the individual institution.
According to a recent news release, Hocking College requires recipients to be first-year students and maintain at least a 2.5 GPA, in addition to the residency and field-of-study requirements outlined by the state. In previous years, only the computer science programs were eligible for the Choose Ohio First Scholarships. Beginning next year, the six additional eligible programs will be Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Technologies, Cabinetmaking and Architectural Millwork, Construction Management (including the Carpentry program, the HVAC program, and the Residential and Commercial Electricity program), and the Advanced Welding certificate.
Speaking about the expansion of the Choose Ohio First Scholarship program, Dean of Hocking College's School of Workforce Development, Sean Terrell, said, "Just like with the computer science programs, these half dozen additional programs provide students with in-demand job skills in growing industries. Students will be able to come to Hocking College get an excellent hands-on education mostly if not entirely paid for and step right into a rewarding career."