This past Thursday, College of the Canyons held its annual Scholarship Awards Celebration. The entry lobby of the Dr. Dianne Van Hook University Center was packed with scholarship recipients and the generous donors who make such awards possible.
Some 242 students received over $265,000 in direct-to-student merit scholarships. For many, this help makes the difference in whether college is even affordable or possible.
Tuition’s just the start — books, transportation, housing, and lost work time add up fast. Most students work while studying, and these scholarships help bridge critical gaps.
Donors and students sat side by side, sharing stories.
One young man at our table is heading to UC Berkeley. Another is bound for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. COC helped launch these high achievers into the next chapter of promising lives.
Two days earlier, COC hosted its annual joint meeting between the board of trustees and the COC Foundation board. Leading off was graduating student Austion Taylor-Uku, who addressed both boards with conviction and heart.
Austion grew up in foster homes — no easy path. He saw education as his lifeline. He was working multiple jobs while earning a merit scholarship from the Santa Clarita Assistance League. With grit and grace, he earned his degree and is now moving forward with wide-open potential.
Austion’s life is a potent reminder of why the COC Foundation is so important. This fiscal year the COC Foundation distributed over $700,000 to support students through scholarships, program funding, athletics, and other essential services.
And just last month, the foundation held its annual Silver Spur Celebration, honoring Marlee Lauffer of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.
The focus: strengthening the partnership between the hospital and COC’s highly regarded nursing program. Marlee’s goal? To seed a lasting endowment supporting nursing students for generations. That night alone, the foundation raised over $100,000 to launch a new nursing scholarship — and over $150,000 total.
Some readers may have heard whispers of turmoil at COC. Yes, there’s been a change in leadership. Yes, it has sometimes been bumpy. And yes, many of us on the foundation board have deep ties to former Chancellor Dianne Van Hook.
While leadership has changed, what hasn’t changed is continuous flow of students striving to better their lives. The COC Foundation board remains committed to the cause. We support students young and old, from every background, because helping people lift themselves up is always the right thing to do.
This mission is personal for me. A lifetime ago, I was what you’d call a starving student at CSUN. Back in 1973, tuition was just $120 a semester — the state of California was far more generous then than now. Still, with books, housing and life’s expenses, college was hard. I got by with help from my father’s VA/SS disability benefits. I appreciated every bit of support. Today’s students feel the same about the assistance they receive.
Public education changed my life. It gave me the power to build something lasting — to craft a life of meaning and contribution. I’ll never forget what that opportunity meant.
Today’s COC is that same open door for others. Whether students seek a trade, a skill, or a path to advanced degrees, COC is where the journey begins. We’re lucky to have such a powerful institution right here in the SCV.
The foundation exists for one purpose: to help students succeed. And like the college itself, we’re adapting to new challenges. With federal and local budget tightening, the need for community support is greater than ever. We’ll need donors and partners to stand with us and help keep opportunities alive for the next generation.
Times change. Budgets fluctuate. But our mission is steady: Empower students to build successful lives. And that’s something every Santa Claritan can take pride in — helping neighbors rise, become self-sufficient, and give back in kind.
When you hear a story like Austion’s, or see COC students heading off to Berkeley, you know your support matters.
These are real lives, transformed.
If you’ve wondered how to make a lasting difference in our valley, supporting student success at College of the Canyons is one of the most direct and meaningful ways to do it. Whether through a scholarship fund, endowment contribution, or simply attending a foundation event, your involvement fuels the dreams of hard-working students right here in our own community.
Visit the COC Foundation online or call 661-362-3434 to learn how you can help open doors for the next generation. Let’s keep investing in success — together.
Gary Horton’s “Full Speed to Port!” has appeared in The Signal since 2006. The opinions expressed in his column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Signal or its editorial board.
