JANESVILLE — Blackhawk Technical College Foundation announced on Sept. 2 the creation of a new scholarship to fully fund two students beginning in January 2021.
The IDEAL Opportunity Scholarship includes funds to cover the cost of tuition and books, a paid internship with a community partner, a cost of living stipend, support through their internship and mentoring from a faculty member. The City of Janesville Police Department, Frito Lay, and Shine Medical Technologies will be premier partners for the program offering students paid internship opportunities during their program of study. In addition to hosting an intern, Frito Lay has made a $5,000 donation to the scholarship fund.
I.D.E.A.L. stands for Inclusion Diversity Equity Accessibility Launch and is a concerted effort to increase educational and employment opportunities for historically marginalized members of our community including persons of color who are low-income and may be first-generation college students. The program is designed to support full-time enrolled students as they work toward degree completion in designated, high-need areas; such as industrial maintenance mechanic, electromechanical technology, automated systems technology, nuclear technology and criminal justice.
The scholarship program was the idea of Blackhawk’s Vice President of Administrative Services Renea Ranguette. As a first-generation college student, she knows firsthand how education can transform lives. Based on her experience she dreamt of a wrap-around scholarship that would give a student full tuition, cover books and supplies, set them up with a job opportunity, provide mentoring and give them a stipend to live on.
The selected students will receive $12,000 to $18,000 in tuition assistance, supplies, living expenses and salary from their internships. Ranguette is passionate about the transformational power of education.
First-generation college students may struggle to navigate the financial and/or the emotional structures of higher education. Through mentorship, faculty and internship staff will connect with the students to identify challenges that may inhibit success. By removing some barriers to education and providing additional support, this scholarship aims to provide community partners with quality employees who might not otherwise have had such an opportunity.
The IDEAL Opportunity Scholarship is available to two students this year. Students eligible should: Plan to begin their studies at Blackhawk in the spring of 2021; be able to commit to internship hours; apply for admissions to Blackhawk Technical College, complete the free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and obtain a referral from a community-based organization.
This scholarship opportunity will open for community referrals from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
For more information, contact Lisa Hurda, BTC Foundation Director at lhurda@blackhawk.edu or 608-757-7704.
