It's About the Students

In these challenging economic times, more and more students everywhere find themselves in great need of financial assistance. At Mt. SAC, nearly half of our 35,000 students qualify for financial aid, but our scholarship resources have not kept pace with their growing needs.

This is why we’re inviting you to join our new campaign, Climb Higher: The Osher Matching Scholarship Challenge. Thanks to the generosity of the Bernard Osher Foundation, every dollar you give will be matched by 50%. As an upfront incentive, the Foundation has already awarded Mt. SAC a gift of $651,000, which represents half of its total pledge of $1.3 million. The Osher Foundation has given us until May 2011 to raise an equal total amount, which would increase Mt. SAC’s endowment by over $2.6 million. The interest generated annually would guarantee at least 132 scholarships of $1,000 each in perpetuity.

In this campaign case statement, you’ll learn more about the great need and the greater opportunity we have to assist our students for the long term. I encourage you to accept this challenge and climb higher with us to optimally serve and support our students.

Dr. John S. Nixon
President & CEO
Mt. San Antonio College

* download the case statement *

The Need!

Financial need is the biggest obstacle for students trying to finish college.

It's a fact that financial need and hardship is the biggest obstacle standing in the way of students finishing college – especially during these recessionary times of record unemployment. Approximately 41% of Mt. SAC student family income falls below the Federal Poverty Level.* While community college tuition remains a great value, students often find the cost of college prohibitive due to textbook costs alone (which can exceed enrollment fees at California community colleges).

Mt. SAC's scholarship awards have almost doubled over the past three years, but student needs continue to outpace donations. Each year, dreams are deferred and hopes are dashed as students struggle just to make ends meet in our inflationary economy.

In 2010, the Mt. SAC Foundation awarded 186 scholarships valued at $234,000. Yet over 15,000 students qualified for scholarships and financial aid, with family incomes being at or below the Federal Poverty Level. Successfully completing the Osher Challenge will create a perpetual endowment that will yield an additional $132,000 for scholarships to deserving Mt. SAC students. With your help, we can do it!

The Solution

We must grow our scholarship fund to narrow the gap between student needs and available resources.

The Osher Challenge is the best solution!

We simply must climb higher and increase our capacity substantially to meet the financial needs of our students going forward. What better way to accomplish this quickly than to partner with the Osher Foundation to match every dollar donated to our scholarship fund! Here's how it works . . .

The Bernard Osher Foundation has pledged $1.3 million to Mt. SAC for scholarships and is challenging the college to raise an equal amount by May 2011. As an upfront incentive, the Foundation has already awarded half of its gift ($651,000) to Mt. SAC. The other half will be awarded when Mt. SAC raises its full $1.3-million goal. When the campaign is completed, the college's scholarship endowment will be enriched by a substantial $2.6 million. From the interest accrued annually by this endowment, Mt. SAC will be able to award at least 132 scholarships of $1,000 each in perpetuity to students with financial need.

But we must act with urgency to raise $1.3 million by May 2011.

The Benefits

Osher scholars are already reaping the benefits and fulfilling their dreams.

With the initial Osher gift of $651,000, Mt. SAC has already awarded 33 scholarships to deserving students, thereby relieving their financial burden and enabling them to focus on finishing college. Hear what a few of them have to say about the impact the scholarships have made on their lives:

"As a single mother of two, a daughter of a single mother, and the first in my family to attend college, I am very proud to have graduated from Mt. SAC (Class of 2010) with not one, but three associate degrees. Receiving this Osher scholarship relieved my financial burden and motivated me to move forward with my educational goals. I hope that my experience inspires other women in my situation to fulfill their dreams. I'm so grateful for this scholarship gift." – Yolibeth Redaelly

"After serving four years in the Marine Corps, I came home to no job and late G.I. payments. Receiving the Osher scholarship meant that I could finish my last two semesters at Mt. SAC and really concentrate on my classes. Even though the scholarship doesn't seem like a lot of money, I really learned how to stretch it out! I will transfer to Cal Poly Pomona and plan to become a college history professor. Thank you, Osher, for giving back to the veterans and helping my educational dreams come true!" – Saul Peña

"I am honored to be one of the recipients of the Osher scholarship. I really appreciate the generous support. Growing up in a different country and moving to the U.S. recently has not only presented financial and academic challenges; but, more importantly, it has made me realize the value of a college education. I am transferring to the University of California-San Diego to earn a bachelor's degree in computer science. I am sure this scholarship can provide me the support I need to realize this goal." – Yuja Chang

"I am a 21-year-old full-time student transferring from Mt. SAC to UC-Berkeley. I earned a 3.94 GPA, and I was a national champion on Mt. SAC's Forensics Speech and Debate Team. I also spent some of my academic life homeless, living off of scholarships and financial aid, in addition to working part-time. The Osher Scholarship, in particular, enabled me to continue taking classes when I thought that I would have to drop out because I couldn't pay my rent. It's reassuring to know that there are people out there looking out for students like me. Thank you for your generosity and support, and I guarantee you that your investment in me will pay off tenfold. When you can touch a life, do it, because you have the potential to change someone's outcome and, in effect, alter their reality." – Rikiesha Pierce

Fostering the Mt. SAC Mission

The mission of Mt. San Antonio College is to welcome all students and to support them in achieving their personal, educational, and career goals in an environment of academic excellence.

The Climb Higher campaign fosters the mission of the college – it's all about our students!

The Osher Matching Scholarship Challenge is the scholarship component of Mt. SAC's comprehensive Climb Higher Campaign. We have set an ambitious $5-million fund-raising goal over a number of years to foster the college's mission to preserve educational quality.

Perhaps no better investment in society can be made than an investment in community colleges. We train America's workforce and prepare students for transfer to universities. At Mt. SAC, many individuals find new lives and fulfill lifelong dreams once thought unattainable.

With an annual student population exceeding 65,000, Mt. SAC is among the largest of California's 112 community colleges. It serves nearly a million residents in the San Gabriel Valley, and its alumni have distinguished themselves in both the private and public sectors.

Mt. SAC ranks among the nation's top-tier, degree-awarding institutions, and it is nationally recognized for its excellence and distinction in a number of academic disciplines.

Homeland Security:

80% of firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are credentialed at community colleges. Mt. SAC has one of the largest and finest fire technology and EMT programs in the state.

Nursing:

70% of the nurses in California are educated at community colleges. Mt. SAC operates one of the nation's largest, award-winning nursing and health technology programs and provides skilled and credentialed professionals to health care institutions throughout Southern California.

STEM Careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics):

With arguably the largest state-of-the-art community college math/science complex in the state, Mt. SAC's transfer students achieve the highest success rates upon transferring to the University of California (UC), the California State University (CSU) and prestigious private university campuses locally and across the country.

How You Can Help

We offer flexible and convenient ways to Climb Higher!

Help make a difference in the lives of our students by partnering with us in this Osher Matching Scholarship Challenge. Our goal is $1.3 million, and the deadline is May 2011. Every dollar you contribute to the Mt. SAC Foundation will be matched by Osher. The Osher match can potentially triple Mt. SAC's existing endowment fund from $1 million to $3.6 million.

Name your scholarship fund . . .

You can establish an endowed scholarship fund in your name (or that of a loved one) with a minimum gift of $13,333.

Company match . . .

Many corporations will match the donations made by their employees to select nonprofit organizations. That could triple the value of your gift. Ask your human resources department for information and appropriate forms.

How to make your gift – choose among these alternatives . . .

• Online credit card payment, go to: www.givetomtsac.org (select "Climb Higher: The Osher Matching Scholarship Challenge")
• Check made payable to Mt. SAC Foundation (notation: Osher Matching Gift Challenge) Mail to: Mt. SAC Foundation, 1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut, CA 91789
• Stock transfer to Mt. SAC Foundation (call for transfer instructions)
• Complete a pledge form at www.givetomtsac.org (2-year pledges accepted)

For more information contact:
Richard H. Morley, CFRE, CSPG Executive Director
Mt. San Antonio College Foundation
Phone: 909-594-5611 ext. 5438
e-mail: rmorley@mtsac.edu
Visit: www.givetomtsacosher.org