Over $1 million in awards are to be made to Ventura County Students;
New deadline is December 17 th for applications

Camarillo, CALIF. - (November 12, 2007) - The Ventura County Community Foundation has announced that applications for scholarships to be awarded to Ventura County students in 2008 are now available. The deadline to submit applications is December 17, 2007.

Scholarships are available in majors such as agriculture, arts, business/business-related, education/teaching, engineering, math and sciences and health-related majors. Particular areas of interest include forgivable loans to nursing students intending to practice in Ventura County, from the Medical Education Fund, as well The Career & Technical Education Scholarship forstudents proceeding directly into the workforce who need career technical training at local vocational schools. VCCF will also provide $5,000 scholarships per year for up to four years to students who are awarded the James Basile Scholarship. New memorial funds have also been established in the past year to honor residents and family members, with awards to local students to continue their higher education.

Students may apply for a maximum of five (5) scholarships and there is no application fee. Students should make sure that they are eligible for each of the five of the scholarships they apply for and complete application packages must be submitted for each scholarship opportunity. Students can learn more about what is required to be submitted, as well as the guidelines for the 50+ scholarship funds providing awards in 2008 at the Foundation's web site www.vccf.org/scholarships.html. Please note, there are separate applications for the Medical Education Fund and the Career & Technical Education Scholarship. These application forms are also available on the web site.

Selection committees established by the Ventura County Community Foundation review the applications and select recipients. Scholarship committees consist of an appointee of the County of Ventura Superintendent of Schools, an educator from a Ventura County secondary school, a representative of a nonprofit organization, a community volunteer and a representative of the Ventura County Community Foundation and membership on all scholarship committees is approved by the VCCF board of directors. Final approval of the awardees is the responsibility of the VCCF Board of Directors. Successful candidates will be notified by mail in May 2008.

Scholarship funds at the Ventura County Community Foundation were created by individuals, corporations and organizations to assist students from Ventura County in pursuing higher education or skills to enhance job skills in the local economy. VCCF manages other scholarship funds whose selection procedures managed through the schools directly; students should contact the schools directly.

In addition, VCCF manages the Scholarship Fund for Ventura County, the only countywide fund that provides an award at every high school in the County. These awards are funded by contributions from the community in an annual campaign (in partnership with the Ventura County Star Scholars program),

"There are many students in Ventura County who wish to pursue a higher education but cannot afford to do so," noted Virginia Weber, Scholarship Program Officer at VCCF. "Not all of these students are straight-A students, and many of the scholarships awarded are based on financial need or a student's academic improvement. In most, but not all, cases, a minimum 3.0 GPA is required."

The Ventura County Community Foundation is a family of charitable funds whose combined assets now exceed $110 million, with 2006 grants and pledges of $8.5 million. The Foundation's mission is to promote and enable philanthropy to improve our community and to build long-term capital to benefit Ventura County. The Foundation has recently been confirmed in compliance with national standards by the Council on Foundations, a reflection of the highest peer review across the nation's 700 community foundations. For more information, visit www.vccf.org.

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