Southeast to host educational 'Scholarships 101' biannual seminar in UC

The Southeast Missouri State University biannual seminar, Scholarships 101, will be held at noon on Feb. 25 in the Indian Room at the University Center.

This seminar is designed to help students understand how to successfully and easily apply for scholarships. It will offer students detailed information on how to plan, execute and pay for college without all the anxiety and worries that can come with it.

"What we are trying to do is let them [students] know it's actually easy here at Southeast," Director of TRIO Student Support Services Valis Zalite said. "One of our main goals is to address why and how applying for scholarships can be confusing. We are going to be showing the key steps taken to eliminate the confusion and help them understand the importance of a timeline. We are hoping once students learn the necessary steps, scholarships and financial aid will become of a comfort rather than a hassle."

Scholarship applications are often found through the Southeast portal or can be found in Academic Hall on campus. There are a variety of scholarships available to students. Scholarships offered can be used to cover tuition and necessities like books and other materials as well as things like housing and dining. These types of scholarships are convenient for freshmen who come from out of town because according to the Southeast website, on-campus living is mandatory for the first two years in most situations.

"I utilize online resources for scholarship information more often than any tangible resourse. I use online because it is all about the convenience and the time it saves me with my schedule, although it took me a while to figure out how to find out exactly where to look," Southeast student Michelle Moore said. "I think this seminar would be great for incoming freshmen that are unaware of the financial options that are available to them. I remember when I first came here and I really didn't know what all my options were. It wasn't 'til a loan later until I realized I could have been getting scholarships the whole time."

According to the Southeast website, Southeast offers more than $17 million in scholarships annually, which makes getting an education more easily attainable for many of those who wish to have one. The scholarships are based on merit, achievement in specialized fields and also on financial needs. Scholarships are offered to all applicable students local and worldwide. Southeast is one of the most affordable universities in the Midwest, according to U.S. News and World Report.

"The seminar is opened to all campus faculty and students and is going to be co-hosted by Krissy Loenneke. We are aiming to be student-centered. We want the students to engage, but that really depends on the day and the weather. We want all the people to promote this event because it really helps students," Zalite said. "We have people promoting in the University Studies classes and we also send emails to the staff so they can encourage their students to attend. Every semester we offer two sets of seminars for our students so they have a better understanding of both financial aid and scholarships. We really want them to understand how easy it really is. We work very hard to plan and execute these seminars. It's great when a lot of students show up, especially when they actually get involved."

The seminar is a free event, and faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend. For information on scholarships or financial aid, visit Academic Hall room 019. Students can also set up a time to meet with a financial counselor.