Everyone remembers the jitters that come with attending a new school for the first time. You’re in a new place surrounded by new people, and you couldn’t tell a Career Center from a classroom. But this year, incoming students were given the opportunity to wipe all those anxieties away, and win a generous scholarship at the same time. The Engage Columbia Scholarship was offered to new Columbia students who took part in various exciting events and experiences on campus.

Students were challenged to get involved on campus through different activities and programs that took place during the first six weeks of classes. New students could get stickers to put on their Engage Cards at each event, and the students who filled out their cards and turned them in were entered into a raffle for the scholarship. “The events really helped me to find my way around campus and introduced me to departments and resources I didn’t know existed,” said Paige Brunsen, one of the six scholarship winners.

With events focused on everything from community, diversity, and career building, Engage Columbia covered all aspects of a new student’s life. “Personally, my favorite events were the community ones located in the Workroom in 623,” said Hannah Jackson, another Engage Scholarship winner. “It was a chance to actually meet people and have open discussion over a specific projects.” Other scholarship winners valued the opportunity to meet new people and form bonds with other students. Paige Brunsen, who attended the events with her new roommate, said the experience was “especially great in the beginning of our time here because we not only learned more about Columbia, but also got to know each other more.”

Along with all the great opportunities to learn more about Columbia and the South Loop campus, the winning students were ecstatic to have some of the financial responsibly of college taken off their shoulders. “Winning this scholarship was important because I am paying my way through school alone,” commented scholarship recipient Rhiannon Mach. “It will definitely make the experience a tad bit less stressful!”

With the new school year in full swing, it’s easy to forget that at one time you didn’t know where the SFS office is or how to make an appointment with your advisor. Fortunately, Engage Columbia is here to make sure that new students are properly equipped to start their college careers off strong. “I learned lots of great information and received free stuff and food at almost every event!” said Paige Brunsen. “Winning the scholarship was an awesome addition to my experiences.”