This content was published: March 28, 2006. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
$150,000 grant awarded to improve access for early childhood education students
Photos and story by James Hill
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Community College Grants Office has announced that the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) has picked the PCC Foundation to administer a one-year, $150,000 grant as part of the John and Betty Gray Early Childhood Initiative.
The PCC Foundation will serve as the fiscal agent for the statewide grant, which will target early childhood education students at 16 Oregon community colleges. The scholarships will go to community college students who plan a career in early childhood education and meet rigorous standards set by individual colleges.
Out of the $150,000, PCC will receive about $18,000 to provide scholarships for students who find it difficult to complete the Early Childhood certificate or associate’s degree because of work schedules and the program’s practicum requirements. The practicum, which is supervised placements in early childhood classrooms, is an extremely important component of the program and the scholarships will help reduce the time and financial constraints that many students encounter.
“It’s a wonderful grant that will give our students the opportunity to complete their degree while working in the field,” said Chrystin Dundorf, instructor and faculty chair of the Early Childhood Education and Family Studies at PCC. “And there is an opportunity for people currently working to start their college experience. We are really trying to increase accessibility.”
The grant is part of OCF’s five-year, $2.5 million John and Betty Gray Early Childhood Initiative aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education on behalf of Oregon’s children, parents and childcare providers. Seventeen grants were awarded in February 2006 for a total of $553,370.
The Oregon Community Foundation, established in 1973, manages charitable funds donated by individuals, families and businesses to enhance and support the quality of life in their communities. Today, the foundation’s endowment consists of more than 1,100 funds with combined assets of $700 million.
For more information, contact Christyn Dundorf at 503-977-4028.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »