By Gunner Young/campus editor

In a crowded event room, students listened as various speakers gave advice on scholarships that included essay writing, leadership opportunities and more at the NE Campus’ Power Your Scholarship event.

The event included representatives from various departments around campus and a few TCC alumni who found success at four-year universities like TCU and Cornell through scholarships.

A major theme of the event was how to craft a scholarship essay. Alumni and communications specialist Gloria Fisher helped assure students that the essay process is not as hard as it seems, and that there is money that goes unclaimed every year because students don’t want to write the essay.

“We love to talk about ourselves on there,” Fisher said. “Scholarship essays are your chance to talk about yourself and get some free money.”

Former Phi Theta Kappa president and current PTK advisor Janjura Williams shared her success story as a TCC student and a single mother  applying for scholarships.

“You can do whatever you want as long as you try to do it,” Williams said. “And you can do it for free.”

Along with pizza and prizes, the event offered a look into the various academic resources that NE Campus has for scholarship-hopeful students.

Assistant Professor of English Amanda Brotherton informed students about essay outlines, structure and content and told students about common mistakes made in essays.

She also gave students advice for finding scholarships to apply for.

“I would encourage you to look around on campus for organizations that offer scholarships,” Riley said.

Scholarship opportunities like PTK, Jack Kent Cooke and others were highlighted as ways for students to get into their dream university.

Former TCC student and Cornell graduate Manav Lamichhane won the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship allowing him to study at Cornell for free.

“I didn’t pay a single dime at TCC or Cornell to achieve my education, and you can do the same.” Lamichhane said.

He shared the importance of essay writing and explained the rigorous essay process involved in the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship.

“I would go to the writing lab three times a day,” Lamichhane said. “There would be different tutors working there each time I’d go and it gave me the opportunity to have as many sets of eyes as I could possibly get on my essay.”

Academic advisor Carolina Saleh told students that your GPA is only one part of getting accepted.

“You might have a 4.0, but what else did you do? Saleh asked. ”They care just as much about the extra- curricular work you did.”

NE student Yajaira Patino said the event was inspiring.

“I applied for scholarships last year and didn’t get any, and I feel like this will help me next time,” Patino said.