The Ventura College Foundation is awarding scholarships to 248 students totaling $683,748, the largest annual scholarship distribution in the foundation’s history.
Students were notified this month of their scholarship awards ranging from $1,000 for continuing students to $4,000 for students who are transferring to four-year universities in the fall. Many students received multiple scholarships.
“This is the largest amount of scholarship funds we’ve ever distributed in one year to Ventura College students,” says Rob van Nieuwburg, Ventura College Foundation board chair. “We are grateful to our scholarship donors. The foundation usually hosts several scholarship awards ceremonies where we honor both the recipients and donors. The ceremonies are an opportunity for both to meet. Because of the COVID-19 crisis, these events were cancelled.”
Scholarships were awarded in all academic fields including STEM, art, health and liberal arts. Recipients came from nearly every city in Ventura County, with the highest number from Ventura (92), Oxnard (74), Santa Paula (27) and Camarillo (14).
The Ventura College Nursing Program is demanding, and faculty members diligently prepare their graduates to enter the challenging and rewarding field of nursing. All Ventura College nursing students in the fall 2019 class received a 100 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) exam. The national average pass rate for first-time test-takers is 83.5 percent.
Qualified full-time students in the coming academic year will be able to have their tuition and education fees paid by the state’s Promise program. Emergency grants and financial aid are also available.
The economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis is impacting local nonprofit community organizations in unforeseen ways. One of those affected is the Ventura College Foundation. The foundation’s operating expenses are funded almost entirely from proceeds generated by its Ventura College Weekend Marketplace on the Ventura College campus. With the Marketplace closed until large gathering restrictions are lifted, funds to keep the foundation running are drying up. Income from the Marketplace has paid the operating costs of the Ventura College Foundation for 35 years.
If the foundation offices were to close, there would be no staff to oversee the $24 million in endowment investments, the more than $650,000 in annual scholarship awards ($683,748 was distributed earlier this month, the most in foundation history) and numerous other student support programs.
For questions about “Stronger Foundation, Stronger Future” or to make a tax-deductible donation, contact King at 805-289-6503, [email protected]. More information can be found at www.VenturaCollegeFoundation.org.
For more about scholarships and other support services provided by the Ventura College Foundation, go to www.VenturaCollegeFoundation.org.
For more information, contact Julie Harvey at (805) 289-6502 or [email protected] or visit www.VenturaCollegeFoundation.org
