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A dinner at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum recently brought together leaders and donors of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara to honor this year’s scholarship recipients and to recognize supporters of the cause.
The annual Leadership Dinner celebrates and acknowledges several outstanding scholarship recipients and supporters.
Over the past 53 years, the Scholarship Foundation has created opportunity and transformed lives — one scholarship at a time — by making college available to a greater number of Santa Barbara County students.
Hours before the May 27 dinner, an afternoon awards ceremony for all of this year’s scholarship recipients and parents was held at the county Courthouse Sunken Garden in conjunction with the organization’s largest partner, the Santa Barbara Foundation. An awards ceremony also was held in Santa Maria for North County students.
Students who are motivated to achieve a higher-education degree are encouraged and supported by the Scholarship Foundation’s mission to inspire, encourage and support Santa Barbara County students in their pursuit of college, graduate and vocational education.
“With financial help I am able to attend Baylor University in the fall,” scholarship recipient and speaker Gabriel Zapien-Ybarra told the gathered guests. “These foundations are the reasons students are able to further pursue their education.
“I would like to personally thank the La Centra Sumerlin Foundation for providing me with my scholarship. I would also like to thank all the donors of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.”
Zapien-Ybarra’s upbringing was a challenge. The teenager was raised by his grandparents following his mother’s teen pregnancy and a father who was in and out of jail.
“As an independent child, I had to motivate myself to do the best that I possibly could,” he said. “I stood out in school. I was the student that the teachers always liked and that classmates often teased for being one of the top students in class, but no one knew how I had it at home.
“Going through my high school experience has also showed me what it is really like to be responsible, independent and self-motivated. Each of these traits contributes to becoming a leader.
“Being a leader does require a lot of qualities that you do not find in an everyday person. Like myself, you have to be able to grow over time and adapt to changes life may bring.”
Since 1962, the Scholarship Foundation has provided more than 39,600 scholarships totaling $96.3 million for county students. In addition to the financial aid, more than 37,600 students and parents benefit from the organization’s advising services each year.
These impressive feats have earned the Scholarship Foundation a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s leading independent evaluator of nonprofit organizations.
“Having so many learning experiences from my background and current endeavors, I can confidently stand behind the mantra, ‘Make the best of every situation,’” said Tatianna Schluep, scholarship recipient and also a speaker at the dinner.
“Growing up in a less than educated, financially wavering and socially distracted family may have tipped the scales against me as I take on the rigors of life and education,” she added. “But with the indomitable outlook I have on life and the tenacious efforts I have made a habit of, I know what it takes to succeed and am more willing than ever to persevere over the next obstacle course — college.”
Support from the Scholarship Foundation reached 2,948 Santa Barbara County students in 2015, with scholarship awards totaling a record $8.7 million in student aid. With 3,481 applications this year, more than 500 deserving students were excluded because of a lack of funds.
“The board of directors of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is extremely grateful to our many contributors who have made it possible for the foundation to award a record $8.7 million in aid this year,” said Janet Garufis, board president of the Scholarship Foundation and president and CEO of Montecito Bank & Trust.
“This is the largest amount awarded by any community scholarship provider in the nation,” she added. “However, as proud as we are of this achievement, we never stop thinking about the many worthy young people who we had to turn away. It is heartbreaking to deny aid to any deserving student who wishes to pursue a higher education degree or credential.”
The importance of finding funding for advanced education has been growing in importance, especially in comparison to 2012 statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that show an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent for high school graduates compared with 3.1 percent for college graduates.
In the United States, the price of a college education is the single fastest-rising commodity, with fees and tuition at public four-year colleges increasing at an average annual rate of 6 percent beyond inflation over the past 10 years.
The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara was formed 50 years ago by a group of volunteers and members of the American Association of University Women and PTA. Today, the organization is the largest community-based scholarship foundation in the United States.
Tax-deductible gifts to the Scholarship Foundation from individuals, businesses, families, community groups and foundations are used to fund named scholarships, annual scholarships or endowed scholarship funds.
The foundation does not charge an administrative fee, and 100 percent of contributions to support scholarships go directly to deserving students.
Individuals, families, foundations, businesses and community groups may make tax-deductible gifts designating either annual scholarships or endowed scholarship funds to benefit local students. Click here for more information about donor opportunities.
Zapien-Ybarra summarized what the support of the Scholarship Foundation and its supporters provides for youth interested in pursuing higher education.
“Each journey is unique in its own way, but no one can get through their journey without help,” he said. “Asking for help is one of the most difficult tasks to do.
“When it comes to money, we all wish we can have all the money in the world, but sometimes we need to ask for financial support. When looking at colleges, the cost is what can turn students away.”
Some of these important local donors will be honored June 11 at the 21st annual South Coast Business & Technology Awards to be held at The Fess Parker. The event will recognize outstanding local businesses and technical professions whose achievements strengthen the core of the South Coast while also supporting scholarships for students at UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara City College or Westmont College who are studying business or technology.
Additionally, the Scholarship Foundation will host the annual Community Leaders Luncheon on Dec. 4 to acknowledge local donors and supporters.
— Noozhawk iSociety columnist Melissa Walker can be reached at mwalker@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.
