Having three children – Anna, Christopher and Zoe – enroll at Washtenaw Community College simultaneously was an exciting time for the Gargiulo family. It was also a financial concern for their parents, Laura and Peter Gargiulo.
The abundance of scholarships available at WCC eased that concern. The trio of 19-year-old Gargiulo children, three of the family’s four surviving quintuplets, came to WCC planning to transfer to four-year universities. Anna is studying Secondary Education, Christopher is focused on Cybersecurity and Zoe is following a Math and Science transfer degree program.
While starting their academic journeys at WCC was a financial decision in itself, Laura Gargiulo said she also encouraged her children to apply for “everything they were eligible for.” They each received multiple scholarships, which “makes the possibility of attending a four-year university after finishing at WCC a definite possibility.”
WCC offers many scholarships, some based on financial need, some on merit, and some combining both criteria. A full list is available at wccnet.edu/scholarships.
All three Gargiulo children earned an Excellence Scholarship from WCC, one of three types of scholarships available to graduating high school students along with the President’s Honor Scholarship and the Procassini Honor Scholarship.
The Excellence Scholarships rewards excellence in any area and provides $3,000 to each student. President's and Procassini Scholarships are based on academic achievement and pay full tuition, plus a $300 bookstore credit each semester the scholarship is awarded.
Laura Gargiulo believes all families should encourage their children to apply for every scholarship available to them.
"I firmly believe that applying for and getting the Excellence Scholarships boosted by children's self-confidence," she said. "I knew they were worthy, but having the school acknowledge their hard work in high school helped them to see it, as well," she said.
“As I tell my children over and over, ‘You never know until you try and if you don’t try, you absolutely won’t succeed,’” she added. “The application process is a little work, and approaching teachers and employers for letters of recommendation might be difficult, but it is a worthwhile growing experience.”