Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

New scholarships to benefit Newberg students

Photos and story by James Hill

The Portland Community College Foundation got a head start on providing money to Newberg college students.

At The Allison on March 2, Newberg community members were invited to attend an event to meet with Preston Pulliams, who announced the creation of the Chehalem Valley Scholarship Fund. Seventy-five people attended the special evening, including members of the PCC Newberg Advisory Committee, Mayor Bob Andrews, Don Clements of Chelalem Parks and Recreation, School Board Superintendent Paula Radich and other local leaders.

In response to this announcement, A-dec dental equipment maker founders, Ken and Joan Austin, told the crowd they had donated $10,000 to the scholarship fund.

To date, the Foundation needs to raise $31,000 more by March 31 to earn $320,000 in additional money from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, which challenged local community colleges with a fund-raising goal. Last year, the PCC Foundation awarded 520 scholarships and with this additional money could offer hundreds more to eligible students. Any money raised for the Chehalem Valley Scholarship Fund would count toward that challenge goal.

At the event, the Newberg community was able to mingle with PCC’s District President, who relayed his own story of how a scholarship changed his future.

“My father didn’t have the chance to go to college, but hoped to see me earn a degree,” Pulliams said. “I never thought that I’d have that opportunity. But, thanks to a local rotary and the $620 scholarship they gave me, doors opened, I worked hard, and an opportunity happened.

“Now the community has the chance to create this kind of opportunity for someone else,” he added. “Right now, we are in the home stretch of trying to meet the Miller Foundation Match. To date, we’ve raised contributions from many who believe in the power of opportunity.

The Chehalem Valley Scholarship Fund will provide scholarships for students from Newberg, Dundee and St. Paul. Students may apply for the scholarship through the PCC Foundation scholarship application process.

“We are excited to share news about the new Chehalem Valley Scholarship Fund which has been established at the PCC Foundation to serve students who attend PCC,” said Linda Gerber, Sylvania Campus President. “We have worked for years to establish PCC in the community here and we are now working to provide financial resources to students through scholarships at the PCC Foundation.”

Local students will have the chance to take classes at the new Newberg Center at a 16-acre location on Fernwood Road just off of Highway 99W. Now under construction, the center will be completed and open by this fall. The 13,500 square-foot facility aims to be one of the first Net Zero academic buildings in the country for its size.

In addition to Chehalem Valley, Newberg Steel & Fabrication has established a welding fund to provide a $1,000 scholarship to a Newberg High School student enrolling in the PCC Welding Program. The selected student will be moved up the waiting list and enroll directly in to the program fall term. Applicants must have taken a welding class at Newberg High School.

The PCC Foundation is seeking contributions to increase these scholarship funds and starting March 14 local students can apply for scholarships. For more information on how to contribute or apply, visit: www.pcc.edu/foundation