newsed@clackamas.edu
Wednesday, Feb.
The Clackamas P rint
Foundation gives hope to inspiring minds
By Joshua Dillen
Associaté News Editor
Pocket change is not what the Clackamas
Com m unity College Foundation Awards
to students and spends on the college every
year. More than $600,000 is to be given
away tq'students this fiscal year by the
Foundation.These monies, in the form o f
scholarships and grants, are awarded yearly
by the Foundation through their efforts in
coordinating and managing several yearly
scholarships and endowments t-hgt qon^,.
tribute money in perpetuity.
T he Foundation ¿so ensures that vari
ous collegeg departments have funding
to complete programs and projects or
even upgrade equipment, called Funds for
Excellence, which supplement the college’s
regular sources of income. These funds
am ount to more than $500,000 each year
to bring, their contribution t b education
here well over $ 1 million through June 30..
T he Foundation has a current endowment
o f more than $11 million that is invested
and pays for a lot of what is happening at
the. college ev^ry year. .Niemeyer Center
would not have been finished if n o t for
funds raised by the Foundation and its
committee headed by the late Chuck
Clemans, .a. long tim e Foundation Board
member.
W ith spring term right around the cotr
ner, and the expense that comes with this
hectic time, students m ight like to know
what the Foundation does for them and
the college. T his money comes from dona
tions by individuals, other foundations
‘and even fundraisers that have 'included’
golf tournaments sponsored by the C C C
Foundation. In qur .current economy, the -
C C C Foundation is a very important part
o f the college providing a great resource
for students, according to Karen Martini,
the Executive Director .of the Foundation.
She explains the purpose and mission that
drives-these awards. •
/ ‘O ur mission is to raise friends and
funds for Clackamas Com m unity College.
Everything is colleger-centered. Everything
w e do is driven by the college mission, ’
said Martini. “T he two pieces that catego
rize us most would, be student access and
student success. We really try to help cre
ate a place that will give them everything
they need to move on and be successful.” '
Karen M artini, director o f the C C C Foundation works hard to b uild relationships to raise f i n d s fo r the improvement o f college-
programs a n d provide monies fo r student scholarships. Students recieve more th a n $ 6 0 0 ,0 0 0 annually in the fo rm o f scholarships.
M artini said that access is provided by
the. scholarships, textbook grants — the
things that help a student be here and stay
here. T hen there’s help that , provide for
success from the funds that improve pro
grams, facility enhancements, equipment
purchases and upgrading technology.
These funds build a physical environment
that is conducive to that success.
I Foundation Scholarship application
deadline., is arriving soon. Students have
until April 29 to return a‘completed appli
cation to the Financial Aid Office in Rook
Hall. Applicants can download or fill out
and print an application at clackamas.edu
or pick one Up in Rook Hall. There is also
a link to a complete list o f scholarships
and the criteria needed to be considered
for award. Students should review this
list to be aware o f what is expected from
students for each scholarship. GPA, field
o f study, total credits per term and' other
factors vary depending on the scholarship.
M any only require a 2.0 GPA and only
six credits. T he site also has links to many
helpful tips and strategies to win scholar
ship and grant awards. T he site will have a
list o f recipients available on June *30 who
information about filling out your FAFSA.
“They are a wonderful organization
and they work all year long finding new
money,” Iven said. “T he am ount we can
give each year in scholarships is increas
ng^OTraas’wlll- ing. My job is increasing the num ber of
be disbursed fall term o f the 2012-2013 studenrs.^5thonapply.-T'he.rcs...no. n',a.*ipix a..
student shouldn’t apply.”
school year.
M artini also said the C C G T oundation
Darcie Iven is a Financial Aid/
Scholarship Adviser w ith the college .is .one o f the more successful comm u
and works closely with students and the n ity college foundations in the state
Foundation to coordinate the monies it and is proud that 80 percent o f the full
tim e employees who contribute ,to the
provides.
“I work with :the Foundation. They Foundation.
“We have the best staff giving record in
handle the donor fend o f it. They raise the-
money. I handle the student end, giving the state,” she said, “People look to us for
a model.”
out the money,” she said.
M atthew LaForce, C hair o f the
Iven likes to help the students and
make a difference in their lives. There is an Engineering and Sciences Departm ent, is
advising session every Thursday evening excited about the staff donations to the
5 to 6 p.m. according to Iven, that helps Foundation. “Its a huge thing th at people
students learn how to search, for scholar don’t know that the faculty,here .donates
ships and what’s available. There is also more than any other college in the state.”