College students often struggle to focus on their academics due to financial insecurities. Fortunately, many higher education institutions develop relations with community partners and philanthropists to offer students financial resources.

These non-profit foundations work to bring resources to institutions, faculty and students. Victor Valley College is fortunate enough to have an organization working to bring student success to life: the Victor Valley College Foundation.

Since 1975, the VVC Foundation has worked alongside VVC to better serve the community, making education more accessible, innovative, and obtainable to students. The VVC Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization that wants to ensure student success by partnering with the college and supporting students with scholarships and grants.

Irene Molinar, Advancement Assistant/ Donor Relations Coordinator, at the VVC Foundation, provided some great information regarding time frames of when students should apply for assistance, where students can obtain the latest news and what kind of scholarships are available.

The VVC Foundation scholarship drive opens in January until mid March. This is the time where students can apply for assistance toward their education. Students will have to submit an application and a personal essay, telling a little about themselves and how these funds can help with their education. After completing the requirements, students are entered into the drive and could potentially win not just one scholarship, but multiple scholarships.

Additionally, the Foundation contributes to grant funding for faculty and their various ways of innovative education. “We are looking forward to purchasing some new equipment and recording technology for our journalism class. There is significant grant money available and it will help our students learn both the technology and the processes related to news gathering,” said Journalism professor, Philip Dunn. Without certain funds and equipment, the reality of an accessible higher education becomes more difficult to obtain.

In effort to ensure communication with students, faculty, and the greater community, the Foundation can be found on various social media platforms including: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.

For forty-four years, the Foundation and VVC have worked to bring the idea of an affordable and welcoming support system to life for numerous students throughout the High Desert. With higher education becoming more difficult to obtain, funding for resources and assistance is necessary.