CBC students receive more than $1 million in scholarships

A full-ride scholarship helped Barbara Wood earn her degrees in chemistry and molecular biology years ago. On Friday, she and husband Don Wood sat across from Sadie Izaguirre, who received a $2,000 scholarship the couple established in Don Wood’s father’s name through the Columbia Basin College Foundation.

“I am very impressed with your résumé,” Barbara Wood told the Chiawana High School graduate, who smiled in response. “You did a lot of (Advanced Placement) coursework.”

Hundreds of other CBC students and their families met the donors supporting their educations during Friday’s scholarship reception at the Red Lion Hotel in Pasco. A record 568 scholarships worth more than $1 million were awarded.

“You’re sitting across from someone who’s invested in you,” CBC President Rich Cummins said in prepared remarks. “They have given you faith, they’ve given you hope, they’ve given you a reason to continue.”

For students and donors, the reception was an opportunity to connect and show appreciation.

“They have their own families and jobs and they’re helping to put me through,” said Bethany Forst of Boise, who received two foundation scholarships in addition to a soccer scholarship.

The foundation first provided scholarships 30 years ago, giving $5,000. This year is the second straight year the foundation has awarded more than $1 million to students. More than 650 scholarship applications were reviewed by volunteers, said foundation CEO Eric Clements, where student need and challenges they’ve faced, along with academic accomplishments, were considered.

Most candidates receiving at least one scholarship. About sixty more scholarships were awarded this year compared to 2014’s record 507.

“We always planned to give back and we figured the junior colleges are more in need than the major universities,” Barbara Wood told the Herald.

Izaguirre plans to earn an associate degree before transferring to Washington State University at Pullman to study biochemistry. She said it’s the scholarship sponsored by the Woods along with a few others that are covering almost all her expenses this academic year, allowing her to avoid loans.

“I know they’re trying to help me out and I really appreciate it,” she said. “I’m just really glad (for the reception).”

Cummins, who supports a scholarship with his family that was awarded to Forst, said the ongoing and growing support for the college’s scholarships is great because it does diminish the financial burden that keeps so many from pursuing a degree. But the personal connection that donors and students can forge is equally important.

“It says an awful lot about our community’s faith in our students and the college,” he told the Herald.

This story was originally published October 30, 2015 at 10:56 AM with the headline "CBC students receive more than $1 million in scholarships."