by Carol Chamberlain, Regional Director, ACF of Yavapai County
Cash for College Events
Prescott – Mon. 12/2 – 5 – 6:30 PM
Yavapai College Gymnasium, (Building 2)
1110 E. Sheldon St.
Clarkdale – Tue. 12/3 – 5 – 6:30 PM
Yavapai College Community Room
601 Black Hills Drive
It’s a rite of passage for many, but attending college is increasingly unattainable because of cost. Students graduate, only to struggle with debt from college loans.
One way to save is with scholarships. Did you know, more than $2 million in scholarships are available from Yavapai County?
The Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) of Yavapai County and the ACF of Sedona are partnering with Yavapai College to offer Cash for College Scholarship Awareness Nights in Prescott and Clarkdale for high school seniors and returning students.
At Cash for College, students and parents can interact with over 50 scholarship providers, collect applications and discuss requirements. Last year, 350 attendees netted about 100 ACF scholarships, totaling more than $140,000.
Experience tells us that students and parents are not aware of all the options available for scholarships and college funding. The ACF of Yavapai County is pleased to provide this free service to everyone in the area.
Cash for College will have representatives from various colleges, organizations and private providers, including:
- State Universities
- Wayne Beck Memorial Scholarship
- PHS Half-Century Alumni
- Mingus Mountain Law Group Scholarship
- Findlay Auto Group
ACF, the largest private scholarship provider in Arizona, also has an online scholarship portal linking students to any available scholarship in the system matching their individual needs.
Learn more about Cash for College @ azfoundation.org/Yavapai, or call Lisa Sahady, Regional Philanthropic Advisor, at 928-583-7815.
Established in 1978, the Arizona Community Foundation is a statewide family of charitable funds supported by thousands of Arizonans. ACF has five regional offices across Arizona, and is among the top 25 community foundations in the nation with more than $975 million in trust and endowment assets. ACF is certified under the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. Since inception, ACF and its affiliates have awarded more than $719 million in grants, scholarships and loans to nonprofit organizations, schools and government agencies. More information is available at azfoundation.org.
Pat Carmody
Pat Carmody was a young, single mother of two when she decided an education was her ticket forward. Returning to college, she found no scholarships or loans available to women in her situation. Carmody vowed that when she was financially able, she would establish a fund at ACF of Yavapai County – the Pat Carmody Love of Education Scholarship.
Today, that scholarship provides support to young men and women to pursue postsecondary education.
Angela wrote about why she wanted to return to college: “Knowledge is power and education is something that can never be taken away once it is earned. I started my college endeavors prior to joining the military, with the goal of graduating with a bachelor’s degree. Due to financial hardship, I was unable to finish. I earned my associate degree while on active duty. But, I knew that a bachelor’s degree in accounting was vital and would give me an advantage over peers who are self-taught. I needed to hold fast on my original goal, return to college, and earn my bachelor’s degree in forensic accounting and fraud examination.”
Her thank-you note to Carmody said it all: “Thank you for your generosity in making this scholarship a possibility and reality for me. I am so grateful… As I continue my journey throughout life, I will not forget about this opportunity I have been given… I hope I will be in a position later on to give back to another worthy recipient.”