An eye on the future

Students focused on their next steps in their journey around the walking track at State Fair Community College on Monday.

That next step, for many, will be college.

The annual college fair at the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center drew students from high schools around the area with questions about programs, tuition and scholarships.

Christina Blevins, 17,of Warrensburg, was a little disappointed no schools with culinary programs were at the event.

Still, the senior found a school she liked.

“I kind of liked Cottey College, because all their classes put together are about 350 people,” she said. She was also impressed the school offers a European spring break trip.

Her mother, Brenda, said the two came to see what options are out there both for her daughter and for her son, Johnathan, a sophomore at SFCC.

Ellyn Wilson and her daughter, Hannah, 15, were there to get started.

Hannah, a sophomore at Sacred Heart School, said she is “starting to look at college options.”

She said she wants to study psychology or fashion, so the two asked about requirements and graduate programs in addition to undergraduate degrees.

Her mother said she asks about tuition and scholarships as they gather information early. She said she, as a single mom, finds the cost of education a definite issue.

John Meehan, of Third National Bank, said cost and student loans present a common concern among parents.

“Their concern is, is there student loan money available? The answer is, yes,” he said.

The federally subsidized Stafford loan program just increased its lending amounts by $2,000, he said.

College costs are a concern every year, he said, but parents and students realize the importance of investment in education.

Students should also remember to find out about scholarships and grants, and “have to explore those opportunities as diligently as possible,” he said.

College representatives said a lot of people inquired about scholarships.

“It’s always a huge concern and always has been,” said Allison Bornhauser, an admissions representative from William Woods University in Fulton.

Bornhauser, who has attended the fair in past years, said turnout for the event was good this year.

“I’ve notice they’ve come from more (high) schools,” she said.

Brittney Hotsenpiller, 17, a senior at Smithon High School, said she attended to talk to representatives from Columbia College, William Woods University and Hannibal-LaGrange College.

She applied to several schools already, she said, and came to ask about scholarships and programs.

She said she wants to attend a school where “I can play basketball that’s not too far from home,” she said. She wants to study elementary education.

She said scholarships are important in her college search.

“Any help we can get, getting into college. I want to play somewhere, but tuition’s expensive,” she said.

Cole Camp resident Steven Lutz, 17, said he came to talk to SFCC. He is interested in the construction management program, and wants to enter the workforce sooner rather than later.

“Right now, I want to stick with the two-year (degree) and start working,” he said.

His father, David, said college costs have become very high.

“If he has the opportunity to do something where he can get a quality education for less than half the cost (of a four-year degree), that’s really a benefit,” he said. “It’s really a no-brainer.”

About 35 colleges, universities, technical schools and other vendors were at the event, said SFCC admissions specialist and event organizer Melody Parris.