By Kathryn Kelman/editor-in-chief
TCC Connect Campus has opened a scholarship competition in recognition of National Distance Learning Week.
The week is a time to recognize the growing significance of distance, or online, education, said Connect outreach and student services manager Kathy Burks.
“Our goal is to create a greater awareness of the tools and technologies used in today’s digital learning environment, and to engage both students and faculty in meaningful discussions regarding academics and course delivery,” she said.
Three scholarships will be awarded — $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place, Burks said.
“Students must be enrolled in eLearning or Weekend College,” she said. “The scholarship is applied to their TCC account and is intended to be used for tuition or books during the following semester.”
Connect established the NDLS competition in 2016 and has awarded the scholarships every year since, she said.
“Students should apply for this scholarship to help generate additional funding for their education, and for the learning experience of being prepared to apply for future scholarships when they transfer to their online college or university,” Burks said.
To apply, students must write a 300-to-500-word essay about how online classes at TCC have “put success within reach” for them. Questions are given to prompt the students and help generate ideas for a specific, story-driven essay that shares an important experience they’ve had in online classes.
Essays will be accepted through Nov. 5. To submit an essay, students need to email allegra.davis@tccd.edu from their TCC account with the essay attached as a Microsoft Word document that includes their student ID number but not their name.
“Emails sent from personal (non-TCC) accounts will not be opened,” Burks said.
Essays will be judged by a team of Connect faculty and staff members, she said, and winners will be chosen based on whether their essays follow the prompt, are clear and proofread, are formatted correctly, fall between 300 and 500 words and present a “compelling narrative with details and examples.”
“Winners will be notified by email,” Burks said.
Students can also nominate an outstanding online faculty member who has created an exceptional online learning environment.
Connect will also offer events 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 5-7 on TRTR Main Street to foster collaboration, networking and help create intentional relationships that will provide a bridge of greater understanding between teaching and learning, she said.
The events will include webinars and a student and faculty panel discussion via YouTube Live at 1 p.m. Nov. 8 that students can access by logging into their myTCC accounts.
“We invite everyone to stop by and learn about our courses, programs, faculty, technology, etc.,” Burks said.