Kira Hays
Co-editor-in-Chief
Getting a college education is expensive. Sometimes financial aid and loans just don’t cut it. Fortunately, there are myriad scholarship opportunities available for students. One example is the QEP Essay Contest that was held at Del Mar College in the fall of 2014.
The QEP, or Quality Enhancement Plan, and the Vikings Alumni Association put together this scholarship opportunity for students.
The students who participated in the contest were required to write a 300- to 500-word essay on the usefulness of algebra concepts in non-math classes.
Numerous students took part in the contest, all vying for the $1,000 first place prize.
The finalists and winners were announced on Dec. 3.
The nine finalists included Derek John Dimas, Jimmie Snaric, Salem Saoud, Kevin De Angeli, Grace Buchanan, Agustin Bernier, Erica Funes, Oleksandr Kondrachuk and Jose Vega Flores.
Out of those finalists, Flores took third place, winning a $250 scholarship; Saoud took second, winning a $500 scholarship; and the big winner, Oleksandr Kondrachuk, won first place for (his essay, earning him a $1,000 scholarship.
The other finalists received mention in collegewide announcements and publications.
“The winners get the award the next full semester,” said Matthew Perry, associate professor of English and QEP coordinator. “The fall 2014 winners get an award for spring 2015. The spring 2015 winners will get an award in fall 2015.”
Fall 2014 was the first semester the contest was held.
Because of the outstanding response, the QEP and Vikings Alumni Association are holding contests for the spring and fall 2015 semesters.
Perry said they are running the contest “to create campuswide awareness of the college’s Quality Enhancement Plan and the work of the college’s Vikings Alumni Association.”
This contest is open to all DMC students, meaning math and non-math students are able to participate.
Interested students have until March 31 to submit their essays.
For this contest, the essay must be 300-500 words explaining how concepts in Introductory Algebra are useful to you in non-math classes, or explain in what way(s) Introductory Algebra concepts have helped you in non-math classes.
Essay submissions should include the student’s full name, ID number, e-mail address and telephone number. Submissions should be reasonably organized and written in English and should be e-mailed to QEP@delmar.edu for consideration.
For more information on the QEP Essay Contest for scholarships, visit http://bit.ly/15MCfTI or call Perry at 698-1422.