Working Scholarship Helping More Students Afford College

May 1, 2020 - For the better part of three years, Trevor Huneycutt of Lilesville made the drive every morning to Laurinburg where he was enrolled in the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Technology program at Richmond Community College. When he got out of class, he drove back to Lilesville to clock in for his second shift job at a local factory. 

The money Huneycutt was making at his factory job made him ineligible for a Pell grant, so he had to pay the full cost for college tuition and books, not to mention the cost for the 70-mile round trip to get to class.

“When I received the Working Scholarship, it definitely lightened the load off of me financially,” Huneycutt said.

Fastest Growing Scholarship

RichmondCC’s largest and fastest growing scholarship, the Working Scholarship helps offset the cost of tuition and books for working college students like Huneycutt whose income makes them ineligible for federal and state financial aid. Through this scholarship, the RichmondCC Foundation has awarded $290,650 to 728 students since the scholarship was established in 2014.

RichmondCC nursing student Hannah Chambers is grateful for the Working Scholarship.

“Our books are very pricey in the nursing program, so it cut down on what I was having to pay out of pocket for books as well as tuition,” Chambers said. “It helped out a lot because I wasn’t receiving financial aid.”

Chambers graduated from the Practical Nursing program last summer and is now enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing program so she can become a registered nurse. She is a patient care secretary in the Intensive Care Unit at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital-Richmond.

Chambers, of Rockingham, has always been drawn to healthcare. In fact, she started working in the hospital’s gift shop when she was 19 years old.

“I’ve always loved helping people and working with people. It’s always been on my heart that that’s what I wanted to do,” Chambers said. “I’m thankful for the Working Scholarship and the people who have supported it. It’s because of them and their support that I’ve been able to obtain the knowledge and skills to help people.”

Saving Money for Students

Lucille Armstrong of Raeford is another Working Scholarship recipient. She is enrolled in the Healthcare Management Technology program and is the office manager for a doctor’s office in Laurinburg.

“The Working Scholarship helped me tremendously,” Armstrong said, adding that the money she would have spent on books or tuition she was able to use elsewhere.

Armstrong has been working at this doctor’s office for 14 years. She said the Healthcare Management program has given her a more in-depth understanding of managing an office budget.

“I appreciate everything that I am learning in the program,” said Armstrong, who will complete the program this spring.

Advancing Students into Careers

A few weeks before graduating the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration program, Trevor Huneycutt attended a Career Fair at RichmondCC. When he saw the booth for Pinehurst Resort, he made a beeline over to the table to see what jobs were available at the golf resort. That was nearly a year ago.

“I graduated from the HVACR program last May, and a few days later I starting working at Pinehurst Resort under facilities maintenance,” Huneycutt said. “Thanks to that Career Fair, I was able to talk to them and get an interview.”

Huneycutt said going to college was a last minute decision, so he didn’t know about the Working Scholarship his first semester. What he did know, however, is that he wanted to learn a trade that could take him anywhere.

“HVAC-R is everywhere and everywhere needs a technician,” Huneycutt said.

Thanks to RichmondCC and the assistance he received through the College’s Foundation, Huneycutt is now working at one of America’s premier golfing resorts, which has hosted more championships than any other club in the country.

How to Apply for Scholarships

In addition to the Working Scholarship, there are more than 100 scholarships available to RichmondCC students by completing one application. Complete the Application Online. The College is now registering students for summer and fall semesters. Complete the free application for admission online. Summer semester begins May 18; fall semester begins Aug. 19. For more information call (910) 410-1700.