Scholarships

The Ventura College Foundation has long been dedicated to the proposition that, as Mary Guthrie said, “Education is the foundation of a happy and productive life.”

Scholarships provide direct support to students by paying for enrollment fees, textbooks and lab fees, rent, utilities, childcare, bus fares and all other necessary educational related expenses. The Foundation currently provides over $300,000 annually in scholarships to students attending Ventura College and to Ventura College students who are transferring to complete their four-year degree.

Ventura College Foundation Scholarships: These scholarships include endowed scholarships established by individual donors, families, community organizations and Foundation scholarships provided by annual donations from individuals and Market Place proceeds. To be eligible for these scholarships, students must have completed 12 units at Ventura College and have a minimum grade point average of 3.0. In 2007, the Foundation awarded more than $180,000 in scholarships to over 150 students.

Phoenix Scholarships: These scholarships are named for the Phoenix Rising – symbolizing new beginnings. It is a special program for Ventura College re-entry students created in 1999 by several of the Foundation’s board members. By definition, a re-entry student is one whose educational progression was either terminated or interrupted prior to completion. Many re-entry students are single parents who must work, secure childcare and go to school, all at the same time. Simply buying clothes for a growing child can mean the difference between continuing their education and sitting out a semester. They are often part time students and, therefore, do not qualify for most traditional scholarships or financial aid. The Phoenix Scholarship, by taking care of most of the student’s direct educational expenses, makes it possible for these students to continue their education, rather than abandoning their goals.