Contributed

The West Georgia Technical College Foundation has awarded more than 60 scholarships for the fall semester, with nearly a quarter of those scholarships coming from new sources.

Four new scholarships have been established by the foundation: the Coweta-Fayette EMC Scholarship, the GreyStone Power Capstone Scholarship, the J. Randy Jackson Legacy Scholarship and the Manufacturers Education Foundation Scholarship. Fourteen students received funds from these scholarships.

“We are proud to be able to invest in the education of so many students,” said Kim Learnard, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at West Georgia Tech. “These students have bright futures ahead of them, and I highly commend our donors for their generosity and our foundation trustees for investing in our students. We are fortunate to have a very engaged set of stakeholders, both internal and external.”

Learnard said scholarships have a real effect on keeping students from dropping out of their programs, with the average unmet financial need standing at approximately $471 for West Georgia Tech students.

For one student — Gemma Papsodero, who hopes to become a registered nurse — the WGTC Foundation scholarship is more than just financially helpful.

“I have faced many obstacles during my college career, some harder to overcome than others,” Papasodero said. “By being awarded this scholarship, it helps reassure myself that I’m on the right path and that much closer to reaching my goals. It helps me believe that I can truly do anything that I put my mind to.”

Michael Dixon, a non-traditional student who balances his studies with a job and family responsibilities, said the Robert D. Tisinger Scholarship he received will help keep him on track toward his Licensed Practical Nursing degree.

“This scholarship will help me move toward my goal of earning the degree, which will prepare me for a rewarding career in the health care field,” Dixon said. “I want to be of service to others who are unable to care for themselves. After having family members who have been unable to live independently in their later years of life, I have seen firsthand the benefits of a compassionate caregiver, and I want to make a career out of that. This scholarship means I’m one step closer to that goal.”

Learnard said scholarships are also useful in creating or maintaining interest in a technical field, as well as helping a business or industry attract students into the technical programs they need.

One student — Jordan Shiery, who hopes to earn degrees in both Accounting and Business management — is close to finishing her degrees and said her GreyStone Power Capstone Scholarship will lighten her financial burden as she races for the finish line.

“That allows me to focus more on the most important aspect of school: learning,” Shiery said. “GreyStone Power’s generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community. I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their goals as they have helped me.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the third-largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit westgatech.edu.