Irvine Valley gives out more than $202,000 at awards ceremony

Irvine Valley College held its 30th annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony May 21 and gave approximately $202,325 to 237 students.

Recipients are students at Irvine Valley, transfers or high school students who are enrolled in the Early College program’s summer classes and will attend the college in the fall. They will use these scholarships for tuition, books and other expenses during the 2015-16 school year.

“The cost of attending college is very high compared to what it was years ago,” Interim Executive Director of the Irvine Valley College Foundation Dennis Gordon said. “People think that because we’re in an area of high income, students here can afford it. But we have students who do look for the funds to help them attend school.”

College faculty, scholarship donors, students and their family members gathered on the campus’ Live Oak Terraces to watch as 396 scholarships were awarded. Some recipients were honored with more than one.

Among these scholarships, 94 were funded by the Associated Students of Irvine Valley College, 70 by the campus bookstore and 45 from the Osher Campaign. Others were provided by individual donors, corporations and community organizations.

The Osher Campaign, run by the Bernard Osher Foundation, matched 50% percent of what the Irvine Valley College Foundation raised for this year’s scholarships. The 45 scholarships that the Osher Campaign helped provide were each worth $1,000.