December 17, 2007

CONTACT:
Meghan Kinoshita, Media Relations Officer
650.450.5525 or makinoshita@siliconvalleycf.org

SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION’S DONORS AWARD OVER $660,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS

More than 315 High School Students awarded

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – More than 315 high school students are now attending college this fall as recipients of educational scholarships through Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Donors through the community foundation awarded over $328,000 in the spring and summer to assist students with their educational needs.

The community foundation administers a variety of scholarship programs that grant between $1,000 and $18,000 per student. All scholarships are awarded through a competitive application process. Eligibility requirements range from outstanding academics, to community involvement, to specific population. For scholarships administered by the community foundation, a scholarship committee comprised of staff, donors and community volunteers screen, rate and select recipients.

Scholarship manager Lisa Alvarez explains, “These programs have been established by generous local individuals, corporations or organizations to assist students in continuing their education. Each scholarship has its own unique criteria and we consider each applicant carefully. We received more than 480 outstanding applications this year. I am thrilled to see the caliber of students that are coming out of high-need communities. ”

Donor Marta Drury created the Woodlake Scholarship Fund, a community foundation managed scholarship fund, in order to create educational opportunities for young women of color who are residents of East Palo Alto or east Menlo Park. A recipient of the Woodlake Scholarship, Jessica Vazquez attends Mills College and plans to major in Biology. She states, “Being the first person in my family to go to college has been a tremendous blessing for my entire family. Entering college will be the first step towards reaching my goal of becoming a doctor.”

The community foundation also offers donor involved scholarship funds for individual donors who want to be directly involved in the application and selection process. The donor oversees an external selection committee rather than the community foundation staff administering the entire process. So far this year, 179 recipients received over $332,000 from donor involved scholarship funds at the community foundation. This number will continue to increase as donors submit their recommendations throughout the year.

CEO and president Emmett Carson adds, “We appreciate the generous donors who continue to provide crucial support and the committed volunteers that dedicate their time to review applications. The scholarship program helps make world-class education attainable for our region’s deserving students.”

This past spring, San Mateo resident Victor Paredes-Colonia graduated from Hillsdale High School. Victor received over $10,000 from the Eustace-Kwan Family Foundation scholarship, Hazel Reed Baumeister Scholarship Fund and The Reverend John Wesley Rice, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund. He began his freshman year at the University of Southern California this fall. Victor said, “It is an honor to be chosen as a scholarship recipient and be provided with the financial tools to achieve my educational goals. It is a wonderful thing to know that through the eyes of others I shine as a person who has the ability to succeed.”

The 2007 scholarship recipients are listed here. Scholarship applications for the fall 2008 school year will be available at www.siliconvalleycf.org in December 2007.