Blanca Figueroa, from left, district representative for Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara); Jose Martinez, program director for SBCC’s Plaza Comunitaria program; Rogelio Flores Mejía, Mexican consul; Ofelia R. Arellano, vice president of continuing education; Gretchen Hewlett, Foundation for Santa Barbara City College Major Gifts Officer; Pedro Llena, Wells Fargo Buellton branch manager and SBCC Trustee Luis Villegas at a recent SBCC Plaza Comunitaria Graduation Ceremony where Wells Fargo presented a $10,000 grant to support the college’s Plaza Comunitaria program and Wells Fargo Annual Vocational Scholarship students. Courtesy photo.
SANTA BARBARA — The Foundation for Santa Barbara City College recently received a $10,000 grant from Wells Fargo to assist two vocational students through the Wells Fargo Annual Vocational Scholarship and to support the education of Latino emigrants through the funding of the Plaza Comunitaria program, the foundation reported this week in a media release. The presentation took place at the Ccollege’s Wake Center Auditorium during a ceremony recognizing the latest Plaza Comunitaria literacy program graduates.
The latest donation of $10,000 will add to Wells Fargo’s total contribution of $20,000 to the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College over the last three consecutive years.
The Wells Fargo Annual Vocational Scholarship will assist two Career and Technical Education students annually with a scholarship of $2,500 each ($5,000 total) to alleviate some of the financial burden of educational costs such as books and the costs of living. There are a variety of courses and programs offered by Santa Barbara City College in the field of Career and Technical Education, which include: two-year Associate in Science Degrees, Certificates of Achievement, and Skills Competency and Departmental Award programs in the subjects of Business Education, Health and Human Services, Media Arts and Technologies.
Students can learn about their eligibility for the Wells Fargo Annual Vocational Scholarship in the publication of the annual Scholarship Opportunities Booklet. This Booklet articulates application deadlines and qualifications for SBCC’s various scholarships.
The second half of the $10k grant will go towards the funding of Plaza Comunitaria, a literacy program through Santa Barbara City College’s Continuing Education Department, inaugurated in January 2010, and will assist approximately 80 program participants. Wells Fargo has been a supporter of Plaza Comunitaria since its inception and continues this support with the recent $5,000 grant towards the program. Plaza Comunitaria strives to assist with and provide a variety of cultural and educational opportunities for native Spanish-speakers living in the United States.
Santa Barbara County houses a large number of students from migrant family backgrounds. The programs supported by Plaza Comunitaria are aimed at assisting the assimilation of these students into the educational system, in turn opening the doors to opportunity, and supporting the community.
About Wells Fargo:
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy.
About the Foundation for Santa Barbara City College:
The Foundation for Santa Barbara City College strives to assist disadvantaged students (low-income, minorities, academically challenged, first in a family to attend college) by funding programs and scholarships which increase their chances for success. The Foundation is committed to making higher education attainable for all in the Santa Barbara community.