Friends of Olympic College Foundation,
I had the pleasure and privilege of doing something I really love this past weekend — tide pooling in Port Angeles during a minus tide. Before setting out, I reviewed the list of best practice etiquette posted by respected beach naturalist, Jen Strongin of @jensseattle. Jen reminded us land-loving tide poolers that minus tides are some of the most stressful times for these under water
animals. As I carefully walked alongside deep pools filled with anemone, urchin, chiton, nudibranch and more, I couldn’t help but think of the parallels between these underwater creatures I love, and the students we serve at OC.
Like a minus tide to a soft, resilient and beautiful anemone, this is also one of the most stressful times to be a student of higher education. Along with the routine academic stressors of coursework, exams, practical’s, study and never-ending paper writing, students are now facing funding pathways that change by the day and uncertain academic futures. “Will I be allowed to continue my studies here since I am on a student visa?” “If I don’t get the scholarship, I won’t be able to afford an education because I don’t know if my Pell Grant will still exist next year.” These are questions I’ve heard within the last few weeks.
By studying at OC, students are working to transform their lives, their families and their communities. OC students are our future nurses, welders, educators, filmmakers, administrators and more. They are our neighbors, friends, family, and colleagues. An investment in an OC student is an investment in those we know and care about.
Thanks to community members like you, OC Foundation provided Olympic College with nearly $850,000 in student and programmatic support during the 23/24 academic year through scholarships, emergency funding, micro-grants, a building remodel, and more. Support from OCF and community members like you will continue to be needed now more than ever.
Thank you for your interest in student access, achievement and success at Olympic College. Thank you for your support during these tumultuous times.
In gratitude for your partnership,
Kim
Executive Director
Olympic College Foundation
Student Success Story
OCF Happenings
On May 29, the OC Foundation staff team and a few members of the Foundation Board volunteered at Ranger Appreciation Day celebrating OC students, staff and faculty!
We helped with check-in. We monitored lawn games. We assisted with line management. We helped cover the cost of delicious food made by local food trucks.
It was a great day celebrating student success and a vibrant campus life at OC!
Olympic College Foundation was asked to sponsor a clothing closet pop-up at the OC Bremerton Campus on Saturday 5/31, and we were happy to say, “YES!”
Thanks to all of you, we received so many donated professional clothing items to offer OC students, their families and the broader community at tomorrow’s closet. Thank you!
Please stop by tomorrow to say hi and acquire new clothes! Open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for OC students and families and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for the broader community in building 7 at OC Bremerton. (Parking is free on Saturday!)
Volunteer Spotlight
OCF’s May Volunteer Spotlight is scholarship review volunteer Alex Andy Phuong! Alex joined the scholarship review team in April of this year and reviewed 64 scholarship applications, filling in for other reviewers who weren’t able to finish their reviews once he completed his own. Alex was drawn to volunteer for OC Foundation because he loves to read (especially letters of recommendation) and experiences great joy in helping others.
Alex told us that as a young person, he loved school, and he takes pride in helping the next generation of scholars. When not reviewing scholarship applications, Alex enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, volunteering within the community and writing poems, as featured here!
Thank you, Alex, for volunteering your time and talent to Olympic College Foundation! And a big thanks to all the scholarship review volunteers for helping us ensure an equitable review process during this scholarship cycle!
