Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Superhero campaign is picture perfect

Photos and story by James Hill

Paul Kiefer, Student

“This means hundreds of additional scholarships and the potential to reach our goal of serving every student who applies for assistance,” said Rick Zurow, PCC Foundation executive director.

“As we expand access for students on our campuses, the PCC Foundation is taking a vital role in providing financial assistance for our growing student body,” said PCC President Preston Pulliams. “This year, our foundation has been given an incredible matching-gift opportunity that will allow us to provide the financial support that our students need as enrollment expands.”

That means more students like Paul Kiefer, a model student who needed some financial assistance, can make their National Geographic dreams come true.

“Give as much as you are comfortable with because it goes to a good cause,” Kiefer said of the campaign. “This donation of money encourages more students to be able to go to school, work toward a successful degree or get their dream job.”

To become PCC’s next superhero, visit www.pcc.edu/superhero, or call (503) 977-4382.

Paul Kiefer dreams big. When he completes his education he wants to travel the world as a photojournalist for National Geographic.

“I always thought working for National Geographic as a staff traveling photographer would be the ultimate job,” said a smiling Kiefer. “My dad subscribed to National Geographic when I was little so I grew up around it. I went to a high school that has a really good photography program where we used everything from pinhole cameras to digital SLRs. The more pictures I took the more in love I fell with it.”

This dream is made possible thanks to money available through the PCC Foundation. Kiefer, who sports a 3.4 grade-point average, is like many students – has big dreams but finds it difficult to make ends meet. But the Benson High graduate earned the Juan Young Trust Eastern Division scholarship through the Foundation for this year, which has allowed him to be on target to graduate in 2009. He said, without the money, he probably couldn’t take as many classes due to the costs of tuition, books and living expenses.

“This scholarship has taken a lot of that financial burden off my shoulders,” said the Cascade Campus student. “It pretty much made me independent from my mom and dad, which is a nice thing for them, too.”

This year, 326 more students just like Paul have earned scholarships that are enabling them to complete their big dreams. The PCC Foundation awarded 327 scholarships for 2007-08 for a total amount of $412,469. In addition, the Foundation was able to distribute $500,000 to enhance PCC’s academic, workforce development, student services and cultural programs. These good deeds were made possible by last year’s Superhero Campaign, also known as the Faculty, Staff and Retiree Campaign. The 2007-08 campaign set a record for the amount of money raised with more than $177,000 given by 700 faculty, staff and retirees. However, the Foundation received more than 1,400 applications for scholarships that same year and could have easily funded many more students if it had more money.

This year, that could change. The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation announced in the summer that it will match up to $320,000 for every scholarship dollar donated to PCC above the amount raised last year. This would provide more than $1 million for scholarships and increase access for many more PCC students. If people make a gift to scholarships by March 31 that generosity could be doubled.