Robert Beilin and Stephen Kipp are new board members with college foundation.
Ventura College Foundation’s Executive Director Norbert Tan has announced the addition of new board member, Robert Beilin, Ph.D., MFT. A licensed marital and family therapist and a faculty member at California Lutheran University’s Graduate School of Psychology since 2008.
In 2003, Dr. Beilin’s 22-year-old daughter had just completed her 2-year degree and was planning to continue through the Nursing program at Ventura College when her life was taken from her by a drunk driver. As part of her legacy, Dr. Beilin and his wife established a $25,000 nursing scholarship in her memory which was then matched with another $25,000 from the VCF board.
Two years ago, Dr. Beilin established a Phoenix scholarship in memory of his mother, who was never able to finish school because she didn’t have the financial help she needed to attend college while working full time to provide for her family.
Stephen J. Kipp, president and CEO of Kipp Financial Group, has also joined the Ventura College Foundation’s board of directors. Kipp Financial Group had previously served as the investment management advisor for the Ventura College Foundation’s scholarship endowment funds. A third-generation Ventura County resident Kipp will help provide the expertise and investment oversight needed to secure and grow the Foundation’s enrichment and endowment funds.
The Ventura College Foundation awarded scholarships to 248 Ventura College students in April to help make their educational goals a reality. Nearly $500,000 in scholarships, ranging from $500 to over $10,000, was presented to student honorees by their respective donors at the 29th Annual Scholarship Awards Gala at the Ventura Beach Marriott.
Honorees represented each of the 10 cities in Ventura County, and included scholarship recipients from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties.
Kendra Saunders and Cristina Tommeraasen, both of Ventura, and Deanna Garcia of Oxnard were honored with the top scholarship awards, each receiving $10,333 from the Mary Guthrie Teaching Scholarship.
“The scholarships have a great impact on the students’ futures, enabling them to continue their education at a four-year university and to concentrate on school by reducing the financial stress of paying for 100% college and their household expenses,” said Norbert Tan, Ventura College Foundation’s executive director.
The Ventura College Foundation received 430 applications for the scholarships, which honor students’ academic achievement or their chosen field of study. To be eligible, students were required to write two essays, have letters of recommendation and have achieved a high academic standing. Multiple volunteer readers from the college and foundation reviewed each application.
