Striding for Scholarships
South Louisiana Community College is offering current SLCC students the chance to win a Finish Line Scholarship on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the conclusion of the college’s Striding for Scholarships 5K and 1-mile Fun Run.
“This really is an ‘enter to win’ opportunity for a current student to win an SLCC scholarship to help defray the cost of college expenses. There is no application process or essay required,” said Lana Fontenot, executive director of the SLCC Foundation.
To qualify for the Finish Line Scholarship drawing, current SLCC students must register for the 5K or 1-mile Fun Run. During the online registration process, students will be prompted to enter a student ID number which will automatically enter them into the drawing. The student cost to register for the 5K is $15 and the cost for the 1-mile Fun Run is $10. Online registration is open until October 4. Participants can register up until the day of the race via a paper form.
“We want as much student participation as we can get. Students who don’t wish to run or walk can volunteer to work at the event and enter the drawing that way. However, those spots are limited and they filled up quickly last year,” said Fontenot. “Additionally, we are offering official SLCC student organizations the opportunity to win a $750 stipend for their group when they sign up for the race.”
Fontenot said that students can increase their chances of winning a scholarship by recruiting non-students to run on their behalf. All participants have an opportunity to designate the student they are running for during the registration process.
“Students can recruit family and friends to participate in the run. During the online registration process, the participant will be prompted to enter the student’s ID number, which will then automatically give the student another entry into the drawing,” Fontenot explained.
She also said that if someone wants to participate, but really doesn’t want to run, there is a category for that too.
“We created a virtual runner category called a Ghost Runner. We realize that someone might want to support student scholarships, but for a variety of reasons just can’t make the race. So this category allows them to participate without even breaking a sweat,” said Fontenot.
The amount of and the number of scholarships awarded on race day depends on the amount of funds raised at the event. “Last year, we were able to award four, $750 scholarships on race day. We are hoping to surpass that through the participation of the community and corporate partnerships. It’s important to note that students must be present at the race to win a scholarship,” said Fontenot.
In its third year, the SLCC 5K and 1-mile Fun Run was established to raise funds for student scholarships. All participants will receive an official race-day t-shirt and ticket for a bowl of gumbo. Dubbed a family-friendly event, kids age 14 and under may participate in the race at half the regular cost. Along with an after-race celebration featuring the Kings of Karaoke, there will also be fun jumps and other kids’ activities. To register for the 5K or 1-mile Fun Run, visit https://www.solacc.edu/about-us/slcc-foundation/striding-for-scholarships-5k or call (337) 521-9635 for more information.
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ABOUT ACADIANA’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE South Louisiana Community College is a comprehensive community college that operates campuses in Abbeville, Crowley, Franklin, Lafayette, New Iberia, Opelousas, St. Martinville, and Ville Platte. The college serves more than 13,000 students annually and offers an array of academic programs. Students earn associate degrees, technical diplomas, certificates, and industry-based certifications. It is ranked 14th among the Top 100 Associate Degree Producers as determined by Community College Week.