Merissa Rasa, the scholarship program administrator, yesterday said each qualified student will get $800 for enrolling at NMC.
This program is for those working as full-time employees but want to continue their studies at NMC.
Rasa said because NMC instructional sites on Rota and Tinian are suspended, the students there can enroll online in off-island colleges or universities and each get $800 for one semester.
Rasa said the current CNMI Scholarship Office requirements and regulations apply to this new program, which also requires employment verification.
The board approved 32 slots for the part-time scholarship program which will cost $250,000.
The money will come from the local scholarship trust fund, which has $262,000.
The board set Dec. 15 as deadline for applications.
“It’s only for this semester and requires a minimum of 6 to 11 credits,” Rasa said, adding that the continuation of the program will depend on the availability of money.
“We will find out again next year if we can help them out,” she said.
This is the first time that a part-time scholarship program was approved for NMC.
“Right now, we’re so limited with out budget but because we’re noticing that people are pulling out of school because of the economic hardship, we decided to assist them,” Rasa said.
The program, she added, is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applicants have until February to submit their documents.
Spring semester starts in January and ends in May.
Rasa said CNMI is offering three other scholarship programs: the honor scholarship which provides up to $15,000 yearly to qualified applicants and currently has 45 to 50; the teacher scholarship program, which provides up to $12,000 yearly per student; and the educational assistance grant which has close to 800 beneficiaries.
Under this program, each student gets $1,980 per semester or over $3,000 for the spring and fall semesters.
