(Santa Ana, CA)—Thanks to the generous support of the community, alumni, faculty and staff; the Santa Ana College (SAC) Foundation has already awarded $442,000 in student scholarships for the 2014-2015 academic year. These scholarships benefited 413 continuing and transferring SAC students, as well as 114 high school graduates who entered SAC in fall 2014.

On May 16, the SAC Foundation hosted the Scholarship and Awards Ceremony when scholarships totaling $252,000 were awarded to 232 transferring and continuing students. This year, 396 applications were received for scholarships that ranged from $250 to $10,000. The transferring recipients are ready to begin their studies at four-year universities, including the University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); California State University (CSU), Fullerton; and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Among these worthy recipients were Santa Ana residents 20-year-old George Heredia and 25-year-old Minerva Mondragon.  Heredia was awarded the $5,000 Alberto Radillo Scholarship for transferring students while Mondragon was selected to receive four scholarships including a $3,000 Valencia Family Scholarship.

Heredia, who plans on transferring to UC Irvine this fall, has his sights set on becoming a doctor. Coming from a family of five, he had to balance work with his college studies. As a freshman, he juggled a full-time job, additional part-time work, and full-time college studies. It was not easy and he was grateful for a $1,000 Alberto Radillo Scholarship in his sophomore year which allowed him to break out of the job cycle to focus more on his classes. He finished his studies in biology at SAC with a 3.51 Grade Point Average.

“This scholarship is extremely important to me and my future,” Heredia said. “The whole financial aspect of higher education is very difficult. Now I can direct my attention to excelling as a student and a person.”
Mondragon, who is married and a mother of three, is in her third year at SAC. She plans on transferring to CSU Fullerton in fall 2015 to study elementary education with a minor in mathematics.

“I can’t express how very important the scholarships are to me and my family,” she said. “I’ll be able to continue my education and reach my goal of becoming an elementary teacher.”

On May 29, the SAC Foundation High School Scholarship Ceremony took place at Phillips Hall. In addition to applicants from area high schools, applications were accepted from soon-to-be high school graduates from the SAC School of Continuing Education. These scholarships ranged from $500 to $1,000 a year. Some were supported through the Santa Ana Futures Scholarship Program. Since 1994, this program has been supported through the payroll deduction program at the City of Santa Ana and Rancho Santiago Community College District. Scholarships were also made available through the Santa Ana ¡Adelante! Program, a partnership with UC Irvine and CSU Fullerton which provides guaranteed admission to qualifying SAC students.

SAC offers scholarships to students enrolled in classes for the fall and spring semesters of each academic year. Applications are solicited from both SAC continuing students, as well as graduating sophomores transferring to a four-year college or university. Basic guidelines for scholarship applications are current enrollment, a minimum grade point average of between 2.0 and 4.0 and completion of a minimum of 12 units. Current SAC students can apply online for 2014-2015 scholarships from November-February; applications are due February 23, 2105.  Applications from incoming high school students are accepted from December-March with a deadline of March 30, 2015.

For more information on scholarship opportunities, contact the Scholarship Program Office at (714) 564-6478 or online www.sac.edu/scholarship.

About Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College (SAC), which will turn 100 years old in 2015, serves about 18,000 students each semester at its main campus in Santa Ana. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions, provides invaluable workforce training, and customized training for business and industry. In addition, another 10,000 students are served through the college’s School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center. Ranked as one of the nation’s top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students, the college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and other medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District. Visit www.sac.edu to learn more.