Ninety-seven students are pursuing their dreams of attending college this fall thanks to donors who have established 15 scholarship funds at the Western Colorado Community Foundation.
During the course of their education, these students will receive more than $1.4 million from funds managed by the Community Foundation, says Cindy Rhodes, the foundation’s program director for scholarships and grants.
May-Investments is a Circle of Friends investor in the Community Foundation, which promotes charitable giving, manages charitable endowment funds, and provides grants, scholarships and resources that benefit residents and communities in Western Colorado. For each new subscriber to May-Investments’ eMag through Nov. 15, 2010, the firm will contribute $5 to the foundation (or $15 per subscriber if we receive at least 100 new subscriptions by Nov. 15). To subscribe to the free eMag, visit http://www.fund-scout.com and look for the sign-up box. If you already subscribe, urge friends and family members to do so.
Community Foundation donors who set up scholarship funds typically are individuals who place a high value on education and appreciate how much difference a scholarship can make to a student. Donors can tailor the scholarship to match their interests and wishes, and they can choose the name of the fund, typically honoring or memorializing one or more people who are important to them, Rhodes says.
Current scholarships support graduates of specific high schools, including Coal Ridge, Rifle and Grand Valley high schools in western Garfield County, Fruita Monument High School in Mesa County, and high schools in Delta and Eagle counties. Other funds support students attending specific Western Slope colleges, including Colorado Northwestern Community College and Mesa State College. Still others support students who are majoring in specific areas of study, such as health care, criminal justice, and business. One fund was set up specifically to provide scholarship assistance to non-traditional students.
Rhodes says donors can fund scholarships in a variety of ways. Some fund scholarships on a year-to-year basis, while others provide lump-sum endowments or life-insurance proceeds to be managed by the Community Foundation.
To explore the possibility of establishing a scholarship fund, contact Anne Wenzel at 970-243-6787 or awenzel@wc-cf.org. Information about scholarships is also available on the Western Colorado Community Foundation website, http://www.wc-cf.org.
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