Bank of Cascades donates $50,000 to COCC Foundation

The Central Oregon Community College Foundation has received a $50,000 donation from Bank of the Cascades to establish a new endowment fund to directly support student scholarships.

All in-district COCC students in good academic standing will be able to apply for the scholarship, and these funds will be pooled with other endowment funds to ensure a permanent and stable source of scholarship funds for some of the region’s brightest academic stars.

“We are grateful and humbled by the generosity of Bank of the Cascades in establishing this endowment,” stated Zak Boone, executive director of the COCC Foundation. “Bank of the Cascades has shown its commitment to higher education with this transformative gift, and this endowment will support student success for years to come.”

COCC Foundation scholarships are awarded based upon the demonstrated promise of the applicant along with their significant financial need. Each year, the COCC Foundation awards as many scholarships as possible, based on available funds, to the top applicants.

In 2014-15, more than 400 COCC students received a Foundation scholarship. On average, COCC Foundation scholarship recipients have a higher GPA than students who do not receive scholarships, and finish their schooling with far less debt on average than other students.

“Our longstanding partnership with COCC is very important to us, and we are excited to establish a new endowment fund to directly support student scholarships,” said Bank of the Cascades President and CEO, Terry Zink. “To be able to provide educational opportunities in Central Oregon for individuals to excel is important for our entire community, and we believe that these students represent the future and will be part of our growth and success in the years to come.”

The COCC Foundation was established in 1955 and exists exclusively for the benefit of Central Oregon Community College, its faculty and students in the furtherance of the educational and charitable activities of the College. It does so through providing financial assistance to students, fiscal support for college programs, and occasionally running campaigns in support of needed college capital improvements. For information, visit www.cocc.edu/foundation.