By Anne Cassidy and Vaughn Sherman
Jobs you can get without some college education are becoming as scarce as debt-free college graduates. Without a college degree, most high paying jobs are out of reach and, definitely, the highest paying jobs are off limits.
So, people go into debt and make personal sacrifices in order to get an education. They’re motivated. They want to be financially secure as well as personally fulfilled. They want access to a better life.
As you get in the gift-giving spirit and consider making those end-of-the-year donations, please support the students in your life, at your alma mater and in your community. Students who make the commitment to their education deserve your support. A scholarship tells a student you have faith in their future and you value their aspirations and role in society.
Many people say they would give if only they were asked. Please consider this a request on behalf of the students at whichever school you attended:
— Did you receive a scholarship when you were in college? Give back to that fund. You might add a 10 percent tuition increase onto that gift.
— Could you have benefited from a college scholarship? Give to or start a scholarship fund.
— Did someone make a difference in your ability to attend college? Start a scholarship fund in honor of, or in memory of, that person to turn their gift into a legacy for future students.
— If you are an employer or group of employees, give to a scholarship fund for students studying in your field. These motivated students are your future co-workers.
If you decide to make supporting students a priority, you won’t be alone. Private giving to higher education reached a peak last year. Organizations increased their donations to students in recognition of the fact that our country rises and falls on the strength of our educated workforce. And right now, we’re falling behind in the global economy.
People also give to scholarships because education changes lives and they want to help make the difference for individuals, families and the community. Consider these recent donations to the Edmonds Community College Foundation:
— A 19-year-old student, who had little to spare himself, gave a $200 scholarship in memory of a friend who committed suicide.
— A 50-year-old returning student donated her estate to the college because of how well she’d been welcomed back into academia.
— Community members started a scholarship fund to promote peace and community engagement.
If we could, our foundation would give free tuition to every first-year student. Education is a great investment with a great return. At graduation, we see students from 16 to 60 receive degrees and prepare to enter the workplace and universities. Later, we meet people out in the community, at the bank, in restaurants and at business functions who say, “I’m an alum.” The results of our work are visible. Alumni are neighbors, co-workers, community leaders and volunteers.
Even a small gift makes a huge difference to a student. At Edmonds Community College, we award emergency scholarships to help students achieve their goals. Large debt and financial aid packages may be par for the course at some schools, but many students in our own community struggle to meet living expenses in order to stay in college.
Textbooks. Eyeglasses. Car repairs. Childcare. Utility bills. Rent.
Gas. Groceries and diapers. A calculator.
These are the immediate needs of students whose goals are to become nurses, teachers, construction managers, paralegals or computer repair technicians.
Illness, injury, divorce, caring for an ill family member, unemployment — these threaten to derail students’ plans to make a better future for themselves and their families. Most of these students support families.
When students receive scholarships, they express relief. They gain hope. They say, when they get to where they are going, they’ll be sure to give back.
Are you ready to give back? Even a little scholarship goes a long, long way.
Anne Cassidy is executive director of the Edmonds Community College Foundation. Vaughn Sherman is a foundation board member and former trustee of Edmonds Community College. The foundation awarded $219,000 to 200 students last year. Students will start applying for next year’s awards Jan 7. For more information, visit foundation.edcc.edu.
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