Austin, TX – September 20, 2007 – The Austin Community College Foundation is proud to announce it is awarding 204 scholarships totaling $244,000 this 2007-2008 academic year – the most ever. This milestone is due to an endowment that grew from $648,000 in FY04 to $1.2 million in FY07.
“Over the last 12 months, the ACC Foundation’s board of directors has focused on how to provide more students with the resources to go to college,” said Alex Brown, ACC Foundation board chair. “The foundation has now set its No. 1 goal to significantly increase the number of scholarships it provides to ACC students.”
“Increasing access to higher education is key to closing education gaps,” said Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, ACC president/CEO. “ACC has been tremendously successful in getting students into college, and with the ACC Foundation providing more scholarships we are removing another significant barrier.”
The foundation has created and expanded several scholarships this year:
1. ALA Silverton Occupational/Technical Scholarships – In partnership with the Assistance League of Austin and the Silverton Foundation, 10 scholarships were awarded to students in workforce education programs
2. Emma & Gonzalo Barrientos – Targeting students coming directly out of high school who also excel in community involvement
3. Longhorn Dental – For students pursuing a degree in Dental Hygiene
4. Tom Pittman Scholarship – Students in Commercial Music Management
5. Eric Hanson Endowed scholarship – For Emergency Medical Services (EMS) students; established in memory of Eric Hanson, graduate of ACC’s EMS program who was killed in 2006
6. Jo Frances Hill Endowed Scholarship – Established in honor of retired faculty member Jo Frances Hill, for students studying to become teachers
7. College Connection Scholarship – For students who have participated in ACC’s College Connection program, which takes admission and enrollment services onto high school campuses to increase postsecondary enrollment rates, particularly among minority and low-income students
Growth of the scholarship program over last four academic years:
FY 05: 149 scholarships awarded totaling $149,000
FY 06: 165 scholarships awarded totaling $167,000
FY 07: 170 scholarships awarded totaling $195,000
FY 08: 204 scholarships awarded totaling $244,000