How to pay for college: Scholarships can finance your education

A 2008 study conducted by the Institute for Higher Education Policy found that the majority of college-qualified students who did not enroll in a degree program indicated college cost and the availability of aid as primary obstacles to their enrollment. That’s why Peirce College invests significant time and energy in tuition resources for working adult students.

For the second year in a row, Peirce is partnering with the mayor’s office to offer the Mayor's City of Philadelphia Scholarship to two students of the College, one designated for a Philadelphia resident and one for a city employee. Providing tuition resources that will help more Philadelphia residents go back to school gets us one step closer to educating the city and helping Mayor Nutter reach his goal of increasing the number of Philadelphians who have college degrees.

This year Peirce is providing full-tuition scholarships to City of Philadelphia employee Greg Wilson II, and West Philadelphia resident Ann Marie Daly.

Greg Wilson II, Mayor Michael Nutter, Ann Marie Daly, and Peirce President Jim Mergiotti

Ann Marie juggles her education with the responsibilities of taking care of her three kids and working at the Peirce Library as part of our work-study program. On June 13 she graduated with an associate degree in Paralegal Studies and plans to put her scholarship towards a bachelor’s degree.

Greg has been an employee of the city for 16 years, and began his pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration when he started classes in September. He wants to earn his degree to set a positive example for his family.

Both merit-based and need-based scholarships are available to help students fund their education, earn their degree, and improve their future. If you’re looking for financial support, talk to your school’s Financial Aid office and any professional associations or community organizations where you’re a member. Many groups, businesses, and organizations offer a wide variety of scholarships. Also be sure to check out resources like Fastweb.com for more scholarship listings.

Congratulations to Ann Marie and Greg for all of their hard work and their commitment to earning a degree! We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.