Financial Aid & Scholarships

• Subsidized: A subsidized direct loan is awarded on the basis of financial need. Interest will not be charged before repayment begins or during authorized periods of deferment. The federal government subsidizes the interest during these periods. You must complete a master promissory note, every year, in order to receive loan funds. All new students must complete an entrance interview before the loan is processed.
• Unsubsidized: An unsubsidized Direct loan is not awarded on the basis of need. Interest is charged from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. Students may choose to pay interest while still in school and pay less interest in the long run. If interest is not paid, it is capitalized – that is, the interest is added to the principal balance of the loan(s) and additional interest is then based upon the higher amount. This increases the amount that must be repaid. Interest rates are variable (adjusted annually) but will not exceed 8.25 percent. You must complete a master promissory note, every year, in order to receive loan funds. A loan must be repaid. All new students must complete an entrance interview before receiving a loan disbursement.
• Direct PLUS Loan: PLUS loans enable parents to borrow to pay the educational expenses of each child who is a dependent undergraduate student enrolled at least half time (six credit hours per semester). PLUS loans are credit contingent. Interest rates are variable (adjusted annually) but by law will not exceed 9 percent. PLUS loan payments begin 60 days after the loan has been disbursed. Both you and a parent must complete the application and promissory note for the federal PLUS loan. All new students must complete an entrance interview before the loan is processed.

The Pell Grant is awarded to traditional and nontraditional undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. Eligibility is based on information provided on your FAFSA, as well as your enrollment status. The U.S. Department of Education guarantees that each participating school will receive enough funding to pay the grants to all its eligible students. The Pell Grant does not have to be repaid.

Federal Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility
The consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112‐74) significantly impacted the Federal Pell Grant Program. Students are now limited to 12 semesters (or 600%) of Federal Pell Grant eligibility during their lifetime. This change affects all students, regardless of when or where they received their first Federal Pell Grant.

If you have attended college for four years or longer and received the Federal Pell Grant each semester of attendance, you are likely to exhaust or have already exhausted your lifetime limit of 12 semesters of Federal Pell Grant eligibility during the 2012‐13 school year. If you have attended college for three years or less and received the Federal Pell Grant each semester of attendance, you will likely not surpass the lifetime limit during the 2012‐13 school year. Whether you have used all of your Federal Pell Grant eligibility or only half, be conscious about the lifetime limit of the Federal Pell Grant when changing majors and/or scheduling classes.

The percentages are based off of the annual award at full‐time enrollment status. For example:

• A student attending in the academic year 2011‐2012 at full time status and receiving their maximum annual award, the percentage used for 2011‐2012 is 100%.
• If the student attends only 9 credits (3/4 time) for each semester, the percentage used is 75%.
• If the student attends only 6 credits (1/2 time) for each semester, the percentage used is 50%.

You can find your Lifetime Eligibility Used for the Federal Pell Grant by visiting www.nslds.ed.gov and creating a student account. The National Student Loan Data System tracks your lifetime Pell Grants, loan usage and overpayment status. If you have loans, you may also view how much you owe and to whom.

• Step 1: Obtain a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from the U.S. Department of Education. Your PIN serves as your electronic signature and provides access to your personal records with the U.S. Department of Education systems. You can request a PIN via the U.S. Department of Education.
• Step 2: Access NSLDS and click Financial Aid Review
• Step 3: Read the privacy statement on this screen. If you agree, click Accept to find your Lifetime Eligibility Used. A security configuration question may or may not prompt depending on your browser’s security configuration. If you are comfortable with your browser’s current security configuration, click Accept to continue. The Confirming Your Identity screen will appear after you click Accept.
• Step 4: Enter your Social Security number (SSN), the first two letters of your last name, your date of birth, and your PIN to confirm your identity.
• Step 5: View the Financial Aid Review screen listing your total Lifetime Eligibility Used.

For additional information on Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility contact ‐ Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC), call 1‐800‐4‐FED‐AID (1‐800‐433‐3243).

It’s important for donors to understand how important their scholarship contribution is to you. If you receive a scholarship, you are asked to write a thank you note that the Cochise College Foundation can forward to the donor. Your note goes a long way toward assuring donors that funds are being used to help students achieve their goals, while also ensuring their continued support of Cochise College students like you. Letters should be submitted to the Cochise College Foundation on the Douglas Campus, Huachuca Hall, Room 1203.

The following pointers will be helpful when writing your thank you note.

• It is not necessary to purchase a card. A letter typed or hand written on plain paper is sufficient.
• Know the name of the scholarship you received and include it in your letter.
• Can’t think of anything to say? Start with some basics about yourself, including your area of study, why you selected it, and your plans for the future related to your education and career.
• Describe specifically how the scholarship is helping you (for example, if it is helping you to focus on your studies rather than working extra hours to make ends meet).
• Be sincere and thoughtful.
• Don’t forget to say thank you!
• Be sure to sign the note.

Questions about scholarships and thank you letters can be directed to the Cochise College Foundation, (520) 417-4100 or foundation@cochise.edu.

Congratulations to the recipients of scholarships awarded through the Cochise College Foundation for the 2012-13 school year!

Aida Estellean Wick Scholarship - Gilda Munguia

Alice P. Chancellor Memorial Scholarship -  Nikole Barraza, Rebecca Dominguez, Emily Fileman, Anna Herbert , Anthony Kaiser, Iliana Montano, Rachael Penix, Billey Peralta, Donna Redenbo, Danielle Twite, Stephanie Williams

Archie V. Taylor Memorial Scholarship - Brittanie Johnson

Arthur and Jeanne Milczarek Memorial Scholarship - Louie Garcia, Susanne Sanford

Askew Childcare Scholarship - Katherine Hinton, Amanda Salasibarra, Amie Sulger, Ashley Watkins

Barnes & Noble Full-Time Scholarship - Valaried Buckway, Jessica Estrada, Ana Finbres, Katie Garnett, Spencer Whitman, Patricia Zarate

Barnes & Noble Part-Time Scholarship - James Bahn, Rebecca Burright, Nora Luna, Ashlee Shannon

Battaglia Family Scholarship - Linda Bohling, Debra Sonnenberg

Benjamin V. and Astrid C. Blom Memorial Scholarship - Sharon Hefft, Chace Randolph

Benson Merchants Association Scholarship - Kyle Harmon

Betty Starysky Memorial Scholarship - Seth Albright, Mary Anderson, James Bahn, Rebecca Burright, Jennifer Gruden, Taylor Keller, Crystal Maldonado, Baldemar Martinez, Deborah Meade, Rebecca Moore, Cynthia Morse, Billey Peralta, John Raber, Patricia Rodriguez Flores, Brigette Rubi, Sherry Sands, Debra Sonnenberg, Amie Sulger, Elvis Thompson, Casey Whitney, Tracey Young

Bill Saathoff Memorial Scholarship - Mario Gutierrez

Brenda Axline Memorial First-Year Nursing Student Scholarship - Rebecca Dominguez

Brenda Axline Memorial Second-Year Nursing Student Scholarship - Lauren DeCoste

Bruce Winter Memorial Scholarship - Magdalena Hernandez

Carlotta S. Madril Scholarship - Brian Webb

Charles C. and Frances T. Di Peso Memorial Scholarship - Luis Ballesteros

Charles J. Dunn and William Dunn Scholarship - Aubrey Hickman

Christina M. Flores Memorial Scholarship - Rebecca Dominguez, Amy Van Wesep

Clara V. Ellis Memorial Scholarship - Katherine Decker, Jazmin Hernandez, Katie Martin, Stephany Romero

Clark & Allie Wilson Scholarship - Debra Sonnenberg

Classified Association Full-Time Scholarship - Casey Carrillo, Jessica Estrada, Nolan Hatch, Leslie Hernandez-Reyes, Sharon Hefft, Jessica Mason, Sharron Nason, Tamara Pacheco, Ryan Suarez, Lavita Trejo

Classified Association Part-Time Scholarship - Mary Anderson, Dominic Garcia, Taylor Keller, Laura Marinus, Casey Whitney

Cochise College Nursing Scholarship (W&C Hope Foundation) – Jennifer Nims

Cochise College Scholars Scholarship - Linda Bohling, Katherine Hinton, Rachael Penix, Ana Perez, Heather Robertson, Spencer Whitman

Cochise County Independent Insurance Agents Association Scholarship - Becky Melendez

Copper Queen Community Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship - Meda Henderson

Darryl A. Duncan Memorial Scholarship - Steven Upson

Deanna Sims Memorial Scholarship - Leslie Hernandez-Reyes, Martha Mims, Blake Suarez, Ryan Suarez, Lavita Trejo

Derek Wayne Meeks Scholarship Fund - Rusti Guerra

Dick Wilkinson Memorial Scholarship - Nora Luna

Don and Virginia Butterfield Scholarship (Cochise College) - Antonio Pena, Danitza Robles-Hoyos

Don and Virginia Butterfield Scholarship (University Scholarship) - Carmen Moreno

Douglas Chambers Memorial Scholarship - Rachel Crosby

Doyle T. Smith Jr. Memorial Scholarship - Sharron Nason

Dr. and Mrs. Rehurek Scholarship - Casey Carrillo, Jennifer Parr

Dr. Dwight D. Wensel Memorial Scholarship - Danielle Twite

Dr. John and Mary Eaton Scholarship - Allison Vaughn

Dr. Kerry Henrickson Memorial Scholarship - Karen Knudtson

Dr. Ralph Arnold Nursing Scholarship - Karen Hurlock, Susanne Sanford, Katherine Schwass, Alicia St Cyr, Amy Van Wesep

Estelle L. Mountcastle Memorial Scholarship - Tracy Wilkins

G4S Secure Solutions Scholarship - Adrian Valencia

Geeks and Nerds Full-Time Scholarship - Luis Ballesteros, Joel Beevers, Lauren DeCoste, Penny McManigle, Becky Melendez

Geeks and Nerds Part-Time Scholarship - Elisa Altamirano, Brittany Arevalo, Jennifer Gruden, Nora Luna, Debra Sonnenberg

German American Club Scholarship - Ashley Watkins

Helen Mulholland Memorial Scholarship - Brittany Arevalo, Luis Ballesteros, Louie Garcia, Antonio Pena

Herrmann Scholarship - Chace Randolph, Victoria Roark, Ashlee Shannon, Sabrina Wilson

Huachuca Audubon Society Science Scholarship - Claudia Garcia

Ingwald A. Rosok Memorial Scholarship - Ana Alvarez, Emily Bahn, Nicole Garcia, Patrick Murphy

J. Douglas and Lillie S. Wright Scholarship - Brittany Arevalo, Nikole Barraza, Ana Finbres, Jennifer Forsythe, Samuel Nieblas, Danitza Robles-Hoyos, Bianca Tapia, Mark Zepeda

Jessica Baylis Bousfield Art Scholarship - Emily Bahn, Eduardo Flores-Garcia

Joe and Gladys Ziede Memorial Scholarship - Neyveth Duarte, Brian Webb

John Cramer Full-Time Scholarship - Gilda Munguia, Kara Strawn, Trevor Thronburg

John Cramer Part-Time Scholarship - Deborah Meade, Sherry Sands

Joyce Kovacs Scholarship - Larissa Adams, Jacqueline Ballesteros, Richard Errhalt, Soosan Han, Nina Marable, Christy Mata

Julia Houston Arias Memorial Scholarship - Mark Zepeda

Ken Jones Fund - Nora Luna

Kenneth Gunter Memorial Scholarship  - Joel Gallego, Allison Moroney

La Salida del Sol Lions Club Scholarship - Anthony Kaiser

Lisa Diane (Smith) Speer, RN Scholarship - Jennifer Olsen

Louis W. Towle and Mary S. Towle Memorial Scholarship - Amie Sulger

Madelyn Pinto Memorial Scholarship - Nicole Garcia, Aubrey Hickman, Patrick Murphy, Bhajan Niederlitz-Miller

Manny Rivera Memorial Scholarship - Tamara Pacheco, Adrian Valencia

Mansker Accounting Scholarship - Danielle Martinez

Mario J. Mersinger Memorial Scholarship - Rachel Crosby

Martha Bordelois Spanish Club Scholarship - Amanda Salasibarra

Mikki Waddell Scholarship - Juan Villalobos

Mildred and Herbert J. Lewis Scholarship - Reydesel Cuevas

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert C. Fuller Memorial Scholarship - Manuel Zavala

Northrop Grumman Aviation Scholarship - Rachel Crosby, Nolan Hatch, Magdalena Hernandez, Patrick Murphy, Sharron Nason, Robert Stoner

Northrop Grumman Innovation Campus STEM Scholarship - Louie Garcia, Mario Gutierrez, Antonio Pena, Ashley Watkins, Christina York

Past Madam President’s Club Scholarship - Rebekah Fernandez

Paul Dwyer Memorial Trust Scholarship - Gilda Munguia

Pearl Ables Memorial Scholarship - Patricia Zarate

Phyllis Davis Memorial Scholarship - Katherine Schwass

Ralph Italia Memorial Scholarship - Katie Garnett

Randy Burns Memorial Scholarship - Becky Melendez

Robison Family Scholarship - Melinda Reed

Rose V. Land Memorial Art Scholarship - Rusti Guerra

SACA Building Trades School Scholarship - Keoloha Soriano

Sam Levy Memorial Scholarship - Danielle Twite

SGT M. Matthew Merila Memorial Scholarship - Jessica Sueskind

Sid and Ione Mosow Scholarship - Brook Wooldridge

Sierra Vista Student Government Scholarship - Rebecca Moore, Blake Suarez, Kimberly Wilson

Sierra Vista Woman’s Club NCLEX Scholarship - Daniel Christopher, Simeon Coleman, Lori Fortner, Lee Ann Morales, Alicia St Cyr, Elizabeth Swan

Southern Arizona Foundation Scholarship - Elisa Altamirano, Renee Carl, Simeon Coleman, Jennifer Forsythe, Pamela Francis, Heather Robertson, Susanne Sanford, Yvonne Urias, Amy Van Wesep, Tracy Wilkins

Spikes Scholarship   - Katie Martin, Stephany Romero, Bianca Tapia, Jose Urquijo

Steve Thrasher Scholarship - Alicia St Cyr

Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative Full-Time Scholarship - Simeon Coleman, Sharon Hefft, Ryan Suarez

Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative Part-Time Scholarship - Katherine Hinton, Taylor Keller, Casey Whitney, Tracy Wilkins

Taylor Family Memorial Scholarship - Sarah Paul

Wes Baker Memorial Scholarship - Nolan Hatch

Wilda Kuntz BPO Does #230 Memorial Scholarship - Katherine Decker, Katie Martin, Danitza Robles-Hoyos, Christina York

Wolslager Foundation Scholarship - Simeon Coleman, Rachel Crosby, Rebecca Dominguez, Jessica Estrada, Emily Fileman, Louie Garcia, Nolan Hatch, Meda Henderson, Anna Herbert , Magdalena Hernandez, Ashley Kern, Karen Knudtson, Sarah Nikkari, Jennifer Nims, Steven Upson, Yvonne Urias, Allison Vaughn, Tracy Wilkins

Women & Children’s Hope Foundation Bisbee High School Scholarship - Ana Alvarez

Women & Children’s Hope Foundation Douglas High School Scholarship - Katherine Decker, Katie Martin, Stephany Romero

Students are encouraged to search and apply for scholarships that are available from a wide variety of organizations. When searching, consider:

• Scholarships provided by professional or trade organizations associated with your desired career field. Organizations like these often have a website where scholarship information is available.
• The things that make you unique — such as your gender, ethnicity, status as a first-generation college student, and other characteristics – may be used as helpful search terms.
• Your employer, or your parent’s employer, as a possible source of scholarships.

Cochise College recommends using the following free scholarship searches.

www.bisbeefoundation.com
www.azfoundation.org/scholarships
www.fastweb.com
www.scholarships.com
www.collegenet.com
www.fastap.org
www.finaid.org
www.aauw.org
www.hacu.net/hacu/Default_EN.asp
www.collegeboard.org
www.freschinfo.com
www.collegefundingonline.com
www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp
scholarships.hispanicfund.org/applications/
education-portal.com/pages/About_Us.html
Rotary International: trvfa.org/resources/for-financial-aid-officers
T.E.A.C.H. Arizona: www.asccaz.org/teachaz.htm
collegeprowler.com/scholarships/
The HotelsCheap Scholarship Program: www.hotelscheap.org/scholarship

Is there a scholarship search you recommend for this list? Send it to foundation@cochise.edu.