Gus Waterford Memorial Scholarship
The City of Portland proclaimed February 2018 to be known as the “Pioneer Black Firefighters of Portland Month.” In conjunction with this historic proclamation, the Gus Waterford Memorial Scholarship was created at Portland Community College.
Augustus “Gus” Waterford was the first Black firefighter to join the Portland Fire Bureau. He was stationed at Engine 6 beginning in 1890. While all firefighters are known for their bravery, it takes an extra level of courage to be the first person to break down a social barrier.
The Portland Community College Foundation is proud to award the Gus Waterford Memorial Scholarship to first-generation college students studying Fire Protection Technology at PCC. This scholarship will ensure that Gus Waterford’s legacy will live on. For more information on Gus Waterford and the scholarship, watch this film from the Portland Fire Bureau.
To support this scholarship fund, you can make a gift using the form below or mail a check to the PCC Foundation at PCC Foundation | PO Box 19000 | Portland, OR 97280. Make checks payable to “PCC Foundation” and write “Gus Waterford Memorial Scholarship” in the memo line.
For questions about this scholarship fund, please contact the PCC Foundation at 971-722-4382 or pccfoundation@pcc.edu.
Testimonial
"This scholarship connected me to people and opportunities that I didn't foresee. It's opened a lot of doors for me."
– Daniel Passera, PCC Fire Protection Technology student and future firefighter
Ted Mayes (left), helped establish the Gus Waterford Memorial Scholarship in 2018 and Daniel Passera (right) was the first recipient.