A $200 scholarship designed specifically for international students will be awarded for the spring semester, said Haifeng Ji, sponsor of the International Student Association. Ji is a professor of computer science.

Students must complete the application, which requires a 500-word essay, and return it along with a copy of their college transcript to the OCCC Foundation or the Office of Recruitment and Admission by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28.

Students can pick up the application forms from the OCCC foundation or the office of recruitment and admissions.

Applicants who are a member in good standing of the International Student Association or are involved in other student clubs or doing volunteer work outside of school will be given careful consideration, Ji said.

“Each applicant must be a full time student even if it’s part time at OCCC and part time at a different college,” Ji said.

Full-time students at OCCC are especially encouraged to apply. International students pay almost double the amount of money resident students pay.

“This is a great opportunity for us as international students because we are only eligible for a limited number of scholarships,” said Sarah Salem, an international student at OCCC.

“I pay around $800 for each class, so $200 would help me buy a book, or I could use it as lunch money for the month,” Salem said.

The International Student Association helps international students feel more welcomed on campus by participating in different activities such as the state fair, the medieval fair, and holiday parties.

“We bring different countries together by asking the international students to represent something from their country at the annual food and culture fair in April,” Ji said.

Money is raised for this scholarship by the proceeds from the fair, which has a $5 admission fee.

Another way that the club raises money for this scholarship is by bake sales. The members of the International Student Association bake food and sell it to students.

For more questions contact Professor Haifeng Ji. His email is hji@occc.edu.

To contact Hala Aljazzazi, email onlineeditor@occc.edu