Coconino Community College will award $550,000 to qualifying students for the current spring and summer semesters in the first round of federal CARES Act stimulus funds. Courtesy photo.
FLAGSTAFF — Coconino Community College has begun distributing money to qualified students from the federal CARES Act stimulus package.
About $550,000 is being awarded to qualifying students for the spring and summer semesters.
The current estimate is that 744 students qualify for the $600 CCC CARES Act Grant for the current spring semester because they were impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The remaining $100,000 will be used for CCC CARES Act Grants for summer term students.
“This is an excellent opportunity for qualifying students at Coconino Community College to receive the assistance they desperately need during these challenging times,” said CCC President Colleen A. Smith, Ph.D. “Our Financial Aid Department is running the award process today to get those needed funds granted to our students.”
Qualifying students for the spring term had to meet all criteria, including a valid 2019-20 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that meets the requirements of the Higher Education Act (HEA 484), including citizenship, and be enrolled in a certificate or program for the spring term that is qualified for the funding. Summer term funds will go to students who complete a FAFSA and meet the requirements of HEA 484.
This funding is part of the first phase of the federal CARES Act funds distribution. A second phase of CARES Act funds distribution is scheduled for the future. Even though the second phase of funding will allow colleges to support operations, CCC leadership has already decided that the majority of those funds, as well, will go to students.
“So, it’s really important to get those FAFSAs filled out for the fall semester,” Smith said.
For more information about financial aid opportunities at CCC and whether students qualify for CCC CARES Act grants, visit https://www.coconino.edu/financial-aid
About Coconino Community College — CCC has served residents across 18,000 square miles of Coconino County since 1991. The College has the goal of improving the lives of our residents through workforce development and higher education.
CCC provides affordable tuition and more than 50 certificate programs and two-year associate degrees in academic and career fields. CCC also has programs that ease student transition to any of the three state universities, including the award-winning CCC2NAU.
CCC reaches out to the more rural portions of the County and Tribal Lands. Instructional sites offer classes through online, in-person and Zoom video conferencing classes to meet the needs of students in rural and remote areas. Nearly 20 percent of CCC’s students are Native American learners.