Posted February 2, 2011

 
By Belle Cantor, Program Officer for Scholarships

“I hope to one day help others, as you have helped me.”
—Gregorio Luis Ramirez, OCF scholarship recipient, Corvallis

The Oregon Community Foundation Scholarship Program reflects our belief that education is a tangible, long-term investment in Oregon’s future. 

Thanks to hundreds of our donors, more than 300 scholarship funds now award more than $6 million to thousands of students coming from every county in the state. Generous though this is, it’s not enough.

According to a study published by the Oregonian in March 2010, by 2020, 60 percent of Oregon’s jobs will require a college credential. Currently, only 31 percent of Oregon’s college- age young people are attending college. And for rural areas, the figure is much worse: only 18 percent.

Students continuously tell us how OCF scholarships have changed their lives. And there are many ways you can help, by:

• Making a one-time contribution to the Oregon Scholarship Fund, which supports students in financial need;
• Creating a permanent, named scholarship fund; 
• Serving on a scholarship selection committee. 

The majority of OCF’s scholarships are administered by the Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC). Students looking for scholarships should go to the OSAC site, www.getcollegefunds.org, where they can apply for several scholarships at once by filling out a single on-line application. Scholarships can also be found on the OCF website at www.oregoncf.org.  The deadline for all scholarships is March 1.  

There are few things more satisfying than helping others realize their dreams. As Juanita Struble, one of our scholarship donors, said, “It is nice to see how your giving can inspire others.”