2021/22 Foundation Annual Report

College of the Canyons Foundation ANNUAL REPORT

Message From The Chancellor Dr. Dianne

As we navigate the many changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and look ahead to new opportunities emerging daily, what College of the Canyons and the College of the Canyons Foundation accomplished this year give me a renewed sense of hope fueled by the energy of being together again with others.

Thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of our staff and board members, we relaunched signature events, focused on partnerships, and continued shift ing gears from pandemic response to enhancing student access, engagement, and success.

Our annual Chancellor’s Circle Dinner at the Canyon Country campus gave us the opportunity to thank our Chancellor’s Circle members for their support, as well as showcase the amazing Takeda Science Center. This 55,000-squarefoot, state-of-the-art learning space is equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed to work in high-growth, high-paying career fields based in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

And, after a delay of two years, we were honored to present Bruce Fortine with the Silver Spur Award for Community Service. It was amazing to gather on the backlot of Santa Clarita Studios with more than 300 friends and sup porters to celebrate Bruce and his commitment to our community. Given his more than five decades of service to College of the Canyons, it was a well-de served award.

Our focus on partnering has fueled and inspired our ability to make a dif ference for our students, and the community we serve. Longtime Founda tion supporter Edison International invested in the continued success of our students by providing scholarships to both Fire Technology and STEM stu dents. And, by collaborating with community partners, we helped nearly 40 Afghan families settle in the Santa Clarita Valley and assisted many of them with

at College of the Canyons. Moreover, the Foundation pro vided $6,000 to be used to purchase laptops, which enabled students to hone their English skills and with the goal of finding employment.

G. Van Hook

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CO-CHAIRS

As we have come out of the pandemic and back to campus, it has been amazing to see the resilience that our students, faculty, and staff have exhibited over the past few years. College of the Canyons has exploded with activity, from welcoming students back to in-person classes to putting on amazing fundraising events such as the Golf Tourna ment and Silver Spur.

We could not have done all of these things without volunteers and donors like you, who have gone above and beyond to ensure that the COC Foundation’s work continues to be effective, purposeful, and successful.

Despite the challenges that the College, the Foundation, and the community faced in this past year, we were still able to successfully raise funds to support the many needs of our students. We have been able to provide laptop computers to Afghan refugees, provide food and other emergency assistance to all students through our Basic Needs Center (BaNC), help students launch their projects into space, and give much-needed funding to our INSPIRE Scholars program that helps foster youth. All of these funds, whether large or small, mean the world to our students, and help put them on a path to success.

As you read through this Annual Report, we hope that you see yourself reflected in the stories. With your ongoing support, we can continue providing vital assistance to College of the Canyons students.

Arnold & Tamara Gurney, Co-Chairs, Foundation Board of Directors

Meet the Staff

The past year has given the Foundation some incred ible wins! We started the year strong with our 2021 Foundation Golf Tournament, held at Valencia Country Club. Despite the uncertainty of COVID-19, we raised more than $36,000 for COC students!

In October, we celebrated our Chancellor’s Circle mem bers with a beautiful dinner under the stars at our Canyon Country campus. Students and faculty showcased the fascinating projects and research in the areas of Biodiver sity, NASA’s High Altitude Student Platform program, and Biological Sciences that they have been able to pursue as a result of the Chancellor’s Circle mini-grants.

Another highlight was resuming our annual Silver Spur Celebration. After being postponed for two years, we celebrated Mr. Bruce Fortine for his contributions to College of the Canyons and the Santa Clarita Valley. The event raised more $140,000 for the College of the Canyons Foundation and over $33,000 for our INSPIRE Scholars Program, which assists foster youth to meet their educational goals.

We could not have done all of this without you, our donors, friends, and volunteers.

Thank you for your continued support!

College of the Canyons Foundation Staff

Fred

Jasmine Foster

Interim Chief Development Officer

Shawna Lubs Director of Operations and Marketing Communications

Desiree Dodd

Interim Director of Development

Kari Dahlquist Event Coordinator

AFGHAN REFUGEES RECEIVE SUPPORT

In January 2022, nearly 40 Afghan families were settled in the Santa Clarita Valley and the Afghan Refugee Team Support (ARTS)-SCV went to work to meet their needs.

Comprised of multiple agencies around SCV, including three local Islamic Centers, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Council on American-Islamic Relations, various school districts, College of the Canyons, and other organizations, the group met regularly to organize new information, share information on the families’ pressing needs, and identify resources available for distribution.

A need that arose as a result of individuals being enrolled in school was for laptops students could use to complete homework assign ments in COC’s non-credit English as a Second Lan guage and basic skills classes. The COC Foundation Board of Directors authorized $6,000 to be used to purchase laptops, which enabled students to bolster their English

Message From The Chancellor

FROM PAGE 2

What we accomplished this year is due in large part to the commitment and passion demonstrated daily by both our board members and Foundation staff. Following the exam ple of Board co-chairs Fred Arnold and Tamara Gurney, our board members work hard to connect the community with the college and bring new resources, partnerships, and possibilities to the table. And the dedicated Founda tion staff tends to every detail behind the scenes to make our events and programs among the best anywhere.

We could not have achieved what we did without you, our generous supporters who believe in the power of educa

www.COCFoundation.com

skills and work toward finding jobs. The money came from the Foundation’s Student Resource and Success Fund, which was created in 2020 to assist students dealing with unexpected financial hardships and emergency situations.

Close to 5,000 Afghan families were assigned to California. Upon arrival in the United States, they stayed on military bases to receive vaccinations and undergo a vetting pro cess. Afterwards, they were assigned to various states for resettlement, and they often had little choice in where they were assigned.

In Santa Clarita, the ARTS-SCV team assisted in getting children enrolled in school and adults registered at College of the Canyons. In Spring 2022, more than 30 people were enrolled in close to 50 non-credit classes, with some completing the ESL certificate programs at various levels and moving on to credit classes.

If you would like to donate to the Student Resource and Success Fund, please visit us at www.cocfoundation.com

tion to change lives. Your generosity inspires us to push forward in finding new ways to enhance what we do for our students.

I thank you for you continued support of College of the Canyons and for your willingness to partner with us as we seek to create life-changing possibilities for the more than 32,000 students we serve annually at College of the Canyons.

With my deepest appreciation, Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook Chancellor

New Endowed Scholarship Fund Honors Bruce Pelkey

A new endowed scholarship fund will honor the life and legacy of Bruce Pelkey, the founder of the college’s International Students Program, who passed away in February 2021.

Bruce joined the college in 1988 from Canyon High School, where he served as the special education counselor and department chair. Initially, he served as COC’s director of Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), developing it into a model program in California. While in the process of earning his doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University in 1997, he pitched the idea of creating the International Students Program (ISP). With great enthusiasm, Dr. Van Hook supported his vision to recruit students from around the world to study at COC and provide them with the support and resources needed to acclimate to American culture and succeed academically.

During his 13 years as the director of ISP, Bruce visited 95 countries and welcomed more than 2,400 students from Albania, Brazil, Iceland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates and more to COC, giving them not only a place to study, but also the sense of belonging to a family. That was to be expected from Bruce, whose warmth, sense of humor, and love of life endeared him to others.

An international student himself, Bruce was born in Glendale and raised in Mission Hills. He earned his graduate degree from Uppsala University in Sweden. It was there that he met his wife Monika.

To the college community, Bruce was, literally, the big man on campus at COC. Whenever he walked into a room, all chins went up. A former basketball player at California State University, Northridge, he stood over six-and-a-half feet tall, with a larger-than-life personality to match.

He helped to create and build a culture at College of the Canyons that was welcoming and engaging, a place where people knew they could be heard, and where they could find Bruce cheering them on to their success. He created a fun atmosphere that enabled people to laugh, to get to know one another better, to work hard and be proud to be part of the College of the Canyons community.

Bruce retired from College of the Canyons in 2010, giving him the opportunity to spend time with daughters Erika and Anna and grandchildren Joey and Gabriel, and to travel more with Monika, the love of his life, especially to their home in Sweden.

A memorial scholarship has been created in Bruce’s honor. This fund will provide scholarships for students with financial need, with a priority given to students affiliated with the International Students Program.

Please contact the Foundation if you would like to donate to this scholarship fund.

College of the Canyons Foundation

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Brian Koegle Bruce Fortine

Dawn Abasta

Diane Fiero

Dianne G. Van Hook Doreen Shine

Doris Marie Zimmer

Ed Masterson

Fred Arnold

Gary Horton

Gary Saenger

Jeff Thomas Jill Mellady Joan MacGregor

Joyce Shulman

Lisa Burke

Mark Jenkins Mike Lebecki Omar Torres Peggy Cannistraci Randy Moberg Ryan Theule

Sharlene Coleal Sharlene Duzick

Shaun Sarkissian Shawn Fonder Steve Corn

T Meyer

Tamara Gurney Thomas Dierckman William Harwood

Alumni Spotlight April Barcus Following Their Journey

In the Foundation’s 2020-2021 Annual Report, we fea tured April Barcus. At the time of that publication, April was a current COC student in our INSPIRE Program, which assists foster youth in accessing educational oppor tunities. April is now an alum of COC, and is currently attending Rutgers University.

“A lot has happened in a year,” April said when we started chatting. For one, April has come out as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. They stated that this has been a huge step in figuring out who they are, and knowing that has given them increased confidence as they navigate a new school, as well as other new and exciting adventures. Last we spoke, you were about to graduate and head to Rutgers. What is your major, and why did you choose it?

I am a political science major with a minor in legal studies. The policy work I’ve done has inspired me, and I’m very interested in reform on the government level. So, I decided to go to law school. I am currently applying for a dual law degree/Ph.D. program. I know it will be difficult, but I’m ok with difficult.

What do you plan to do once you graduate?

The dual program is five years long. I eventually want to be a civil rights attorney and focus on disability rights. Disability rights – what led you in that direction?

I became disabled – well, ac tually, I have been disabled, but I finally admitted it to myself. I have been diagnosed with a con nective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and now use a mobility aid. Seeing how difficult the world can be with a visi ble disability has really been eye-opening for me. I want to make changes on a government level.

Can you tell me about how your disability affects you at school?

I’m actually still finishing up some incompletes, due to chronic pain and debilitating fatigue. I have been trying to manage university with a visible disability and coming out as non-binary. Campus is not physically accessible, but professors and administrators have been very accommodat ing. With the added issues of COVID, it’s been very diffi cult to manage, especially with how people with disabilities are treated. But I have my disability under control now, so things should get easier.

So, in one year, you’ve moved across the country, accepted your disability, and came out as non-binary. Has coming out added to your difficulties?

Coming out as non-binary has been much easier than coming to terms with my disability. I did lose a mentor over it, but other than that, most people have been very accept ing. You can’t help what another person thinks about you, and it worked out in the end.

Can you tell me a little bit about your internship?

Yes! Over the summer, I did a nine-week internship with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which is a nonprofit advocacy organization based in Washington D.C. The internship had two parts.

The first part is interning for a House Representative. I was assigned to U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md), and it was an amazing experience! I did typical intern stuff, answering phones, taking notes at meetings, sorting mail, that sort of thing. But it was really exciting to be in that environment.

The second part was a research project and policy report. Each cohort chose a topic, did the research, and presented suggestions for policy reform. My cohort chose to look at the correlation between disability and foster care, and we made recommendations on how Congress, the Biden Administration, and the private sector can help improve healthcare access and treatment for foster youth with disabilities. We then presented our report to staffers in a variety of departments, such as Health & Human Services, the Office of the Vice President, Communications, etc. We also did a separate briefing specifically to Health & Human Services under the Biden Administration.

What would you tell other students who are facing challenges right now?

Keep going and keep fighting for what you believe in. The hardest part of advocacy is getting told no, or ignored, over and over. It just takes a little bit of tenacity.

If you are interested in learning more about our INSPIRE program, please visit www.canyons.edu/studentservices/inspire

COC’S SCHOOL OF VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS RECEIVES GRANT FROM THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA

The City of Santa Clarita awarded the college’s School of Visual & Performing Arts a $5,000 Community Services and Arts Grant in January 2022. The grant will be used to bring new and exciting artists for Artist Talks and to expand exhibitions in the college’s Art Gallery. Both virtual and live events are being planned for students, faculty, staff, patrons, and community members to enjoy.

The COC Art Gallery promotes self-discovery and explora tion by expanding access to art and ideas through organic, self-directed interactions with art, formal programming, and faculty-led gallery experiences that engage with works of contemporary visual art and artists. The Gallery works to help students acquire, enhance, and more richly explore their ability to think critically and creatively; and work ef fectively in open-ended environments. It strives to advance COC’s mission of institutional excellence and innovation by fostering a campus climate that champions artistic excellence, is anti-racist and equity-minded, and provides a vibrant platform for contemporary visual art that invigo rates and reflects the heterogeneous cultural environment of our campus.

Engaging with contemporary art and artists has the poten tial to spark expansive thinking, generate transformative insights, and reveal new pathways. Through critical vi sual thinking and an appreciation for humanity’s history, creativity, and diversity, the COC Art Gallery encourages students to become creative, socially-engaged thinkers as they advance in their own chosen discipline. By creating opportunities for art-driven learning, we strive to not only promote the value and understanding of contemporary visual art, but also increase awareness of its relevance and application across multiple disciplines.

The College of the Canyons Art Gallery champions con temporary visual art and artists that inspire us to see the world in new ways. Our dynamic exhibition program sup ports active learning, ignites imaginations, values diversity, and encourages reflection, connection, and conversation. Committed to access and equity for all, admission to the Art Gallery is always free.

Artist Talk Events Sponsored by Community Services and Arts Grant

SADIE RED WING

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

5 p.m.

Art Gallery (Mentry Hall, 108)

Life After GMD: Featuring Successful Alumni from Graphic & Multimedia Design

Thursday, December 1, 2022

5 p.m.

Art Gallery (Mentry Hall, 108)

Student Highlight

Collin Shneour

Current Associated Student Government (ASG) President Collin Shneour was awarded the Osher Scholarship for 2022-23, which will help offset some of the financial obstacles that can stand in the way of pursuing higher edu cation. However, as Collin’s story shows, students face other challenges beyond paying for college.

Collin’s obstacles started at a young age. His mother worked hard throughout his childhood, attending El Camino Community College and then California State University, Long Beach, graduating with her bachelor’s degree in accounting and becoming a certified public accoun tant (CPA). She worked her way up the ranks, and ultimately became vice president of finance at Warner Brothers. Because of this job, the family was able to purchase her “dream home” in Stevenson Ranch. They lived there for about a year until, as Collin says, “the story begins to crumble.”

Collin’s father lost his job, and as a result, he coerced his mother to move to San Diego to be closer to his family. He convinced her to quit her job and leave the friends she had made in Santa Clari ta. It wasn’t long before Collin’s father lost his job, and the family started living off of their savings. At the same time, Collin’s moth er became very depressed, and was unable to work. In addition, Collin’s father was becoming more physically and emotionally abusive to both him and his mother. Because of all of this, Collin did not finish high school.

In 2014, when Collin was 17, his biggest fear was realized when his family became homeless. They split up, and Collin spent his time with a family in Mesa, Ariz., who his father said had known him 20 years prior, but they were strangers to Collin. Eventually, they were no longer able to have him continue staying with them, so Collin ended up couch surfing.

He returned to California and was able to find an apartment with his mother. Despite the distance, his father’s abuse continued, and in 2016, Collin’s father took his own life. Once the family was able to process his death, Collin worked instead of finishing high school, but he was able to obtain his GED in 2018. In August of 2018, he and his mother moved back to Santa Clarita, and he immediately enrolled in College of the Canyons.

When he was beginning as a part-time student, he lacked moti vation and struggled in his classes with little passion for what he was studying. It was not until the professor in his introduction to political science class encouraged him to join a club on campus,

Model UN, that he would start to find that passion. He decided to join, and he says that, without a shadow of a doubt “it was the pivotal moment that brought me here today. Being part of Model United Nations motivated me to go full-time in my courses and switch my major to something I felt passion for, instead of what would simply provide me a lucrative career. I learned that I am not here just to avoid homelessness and survive, but that I am here to learn and thrive.”

A year later in 2021, he would apply to run for Associated Student Government (ASG) so he could assist with our clubs on cam pus and help other students discover their passion. Last year, Collin was Vice Presi dent of Inter Club Council, and this year he was elected the ASG President. His goal in ASG is to create a four-pronged approach to ensuring that all students are aware of, and have access to, all available resources on the COC Campus. The four prongs are: Getting to COC, Applying to COC, Paying for COC, and Con tinuing Attending COC. Each of these components will meet students at their level, and give them the ability to be successful in their education.

Collin says that COC definitely propelled him. “What it was for me was other students, being a part of these teams that felt like families, and really significantly, the more I got involved on campus and the more classes I took, the more great professors I met…. Marco Llaguno, Jeffrey Cox, Kelly Dapp, Lin Suh, Joanna Kelly….all of these people really encouraged me to get involved, and so I did. And I’m glad I did, because I enjoy it more.”

Among college students, and more so since the pandemic, there is a sense of apathy towards extracurricular activities and clubs, Collin said. When asked how he is personally trying to combat that, Collin said, “You’d be surprised with what you’re are capable of, but you’ll never know what you’re capable of if you don’t try. It’s comfortable to choose failure, because then you’re guaran teeing it, but if you try, then you are opening yourself up to the possibility that you will fail or succeed. But the reality is you’ll never succeed if you aren’t willing to fail.”

Collin has shared his story openly in several forums, including the Foundation Scholarship Reception in May 2022. He hopes his story can serve as an inspiration for other students who may feel like they are lost or alone. He is now majoring in psychology and is hoping to transfer to a University of California campus in fall 2023. He plans to pursue a master’s degree and maybe also a doctoral degree in psychology.

In recognition of his unwavering support to College of the Canyons throughout its five-decade-plus history, the college’s Foundation presented Bruce Fortine with the prestigious 2022 Silver Spur Award for Community Service.

The 30th annual Silver Spur Celebration took place May 14, 2022, at Santa Clarita Studios in Valencia.

He was slated to receive the award in March 2020, but the event was canceled at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After two years of postponement, it is with great joy and renewed enthusiasm that we celebrate Bruce Fortine for his legacy and lasting contributions to College of the Canyons,” said COC Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook. “He has been a part of College of the Canyons since the very beginning. His character, commitment to the college, care for students, and connections to the community have been instrumental in shaping the development of our college. The Santa Clarita Community College District is deeply indebted to his tireless support, which spans more than 50 years.”

Photos by Schlick Art

Fortine was a member of the college’s original Board of Trustees, which was elected in 1967 when local voters approved the formation of the valley’s community college district. After an election that saw 72 candidates run for five available seats, Fortine was sworn in on Dec. 11, 1967, as a member of the original Board of Trustees. The board named College of the Canyons on May 19, 1969.

Fortine served on the Board until July 1973 when he was hired as a COC employee and was required to resign from the Board of Trustees. During his time as a COC employ ee, Fortine created the Community Services/ Non-Credit Department and also served as the Public In formation Officer. He worked at COC until August 1978. In 1991, Fortine returned to the District when he was elected to fill a seat on the Board of Trustees, a seat he held until 2016.

Given his involvement with the college that stretches from its earliest days to its latest accomplishments, Fortine played a significant role in establishing the college as an innovative learning institution marked by ongoing excellence. He worked behind the scenes of on each of the college’s five local bond measures, the first of which was passed by local voters in 1970 and provided the funding to buy the land on which the Valen cia campus is located.

Fortine, who is affectionately referred to by many as “Mr. COC,” is well known for sharing his passion about the college, and connecting the college to resources and partnerships in almost every segment of the community.

Among the college’s key initiatives on which he worked are the capital campaigns for the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center and the College of the Canyons Institute for Culinary Education. He was also instrumental in rallying support for the mid-1990s expansion of the college’s athletics programs, which included the revival of the college’s football team, as well as the addition of the women’s soccer team and the women’s golf team. Fortine’s fundraising efforts on behalf of the college also

include raising funds for the Dare to Dream Scholarship, the Re-entry program, the Legacy Giving Program, the Osher Scholarship challenge, and the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center.

In addition, Fortine made a tremendous impact on the college’s Foundation as the District Trustee’s liaison to the Foundation Board of Directors and recommended many new members for the Foundation Board.

Previous Silver Spur recipients include: Don and Cheri Fleming; U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (Ret.); Jack and Doreen Shine; Jill Mellady; The Newhall Family; Remo and Ami Belli, Barry and Pati Gump, Richard and Marian Sandnes, Diana Cusumano, Myrna and Gary Condie, Har old and Jacquie Petersen, Wayne Crawford, Rita Garasi, Tom Veloz, Charlotte and Frank Kleeman, Gary Cusumano, Jay and Joyce Rodgers, Tom Lee, Lou Garasi, Michael Berger, Roberta Veloz, Dick Luechtefeld, Robert Ormsby, LaVerne Harris, John Hoskinson, Tom Dierckman, Scott and Ruth Newhall, Elisha “Aggie” Agajanian, and Cliffie Stone.

Thanks to the many friends who attended Silver Spur to support Bruce, the event raised more than $140,000 for the College of the Canyons Foundation, and over $33,000 for the INSPIRE Scholars Program.

You can learn more about the INSPIRE Scholars Program here: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/inspire/

In Memoriam

Charlotte Kleeman

Longtime community leader, COC Foundation board member, and Silver Spur recipient Charlotte Kleeman passed away May 19, 2022.

Charlotte and her late husband Frank devoted themselves to philanthropic work in the Santa Clarita Valley for decades, serving on a wide variety of boards and raising thousands of dollars to support the community’s non-profit organizations.

In 2005, Charlotte and Frank were honored as the recipients of the COC Silver Spur Community Service award. They were voted the “Philanthropists of the Year” by the Network of California Community Colleges in 2002.

Charlotte was born outside Chicago on February 15, 1937, to Walter H. Kaup, who was a locksmith, and Beulah M. Kaup. The family relocated to North Hollywood where Charlotte attended school. She later graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles. Charlotte was employed as a social worker before she received two teaching credentials.

In 1961, she married Frank. They moved to the Santa Clarita Valley in 1965, making their home in Newhall.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Charlotte served on the board of directors and executive board of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley where she was active in fundraising for the club. She also chaired the Ambassadors program of the SCV Chamber of Commerce.

By the mid 1990s, Kleeman had joined the board of the SCV Child and Family Center, the Santa Clarita Arts Council, the board of the Samuel Dixon Family Health Center, AAUW and the College of the Canyons Foundation, where she served on numerous Foundation committees.

She was named SCV Woman of the Year in 1996, an honor that made her even more focused on volunteer work. “In order to feel like I really deserved it,” she said, “I started volunteering more and began accepting more leadership roles.”

Kleeman served as chair of Taste of the Town, the signature fundraiser of the SCV Child & Family Center; served on the board of the SCV Repertory Theatre; and was president of the Samuel Dixon Family Health Center board for two years. She also served on the board of the Foundation for Children’s Dental Health. Outside of Santa Clarita, she was elected to the Occidental College Alumni Board of Governors.

Charlotte was preceded in death by her husband Frank in 2016. She is survived by son Jeff, daughters Shari, Robin and Suzette and numerous grandchildren.

EDISON INVESTS IN THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF COC STUDENTS

Nine College of the Canyons fire technology students received $1,000 scholarships from Edison International this year to cover tuition, books, and school-related fees. The students had to have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher, be enrolled in the college’s Fire Technology program and respond to four essay questions about their fire service career goals.

The scholarships were awarded through a grant from Edison International in support of the college’s devel opment of present and future fire personnel. This is the fifth year in a row that Edison International awarded a grant to the college’s Fire Technology program.

“This Edison fire technology grant also allows our COC Fire Technology program to purchase uniforms for our students, and storage for our firefighting gear and equipment,” said Keith Kawamoto, department chair of Fire Technology. “Edison’s generosity provides access to creative and innovative training resources. Through this teamwork with Edison, our program can guide students along their journey toward becoming effective, caring, and courageous first responders.”

In addition to their generous support of the Fire Tech nology program, Edison also supports our STEM stu dents. Students who maintain a 2.8 GPA, are enrolled in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math program, and have demonstrated financial need were awarded $1,000 scholarships.

“These scholarships are vital for our STEM students to help them achieve their academic and personal goals,” as Interim Dean of Mathematics, Science, & Engineer ing Steve Ruys said. “The value of these scholarships goes far beyond the financial support that they provide. They open doors for students that have not traditionally studied STEM pathways.”

Edison’s support for College of the Canyons extends beyond scholarships. They are members of our Chan cellor’s Circle, which means that they make an annual donation to support innovative programs that assist stu dents in affording college and eliminating roadblocks to education. They also made a generous donation to the COC Foundation through their sponsorship at our 2022 Silver Spur celebration.

More than 200 guests gathered on the Upper Plaza at the Canyon Country campus for the annual Chancellor’s Circle Dinner, which celebrates members of the Foundation’s most prestigious support group. Members include local business owners, successful alumni, and community leaders dedicated to the success of our students. The event offered a sneak peek of the new Takeda Science Center, as well as a chance to hear from students about their recent projects and research. To learn more about Chancellor’s Circle membership and join our esteemed list of partners, please visit www.cocfoundation.com

2021-2022

DONOR HONOR ROLL

$50,000 & GREATER

Edison International Foundation for California Community Colleges

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan

$10,000 - $49,999

Ami Belli

Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, Inc.

California Community Foundation Finance of America Mortgage, LLC

Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association

Monika Pelkey

Rasmussen Family Foundation

Robert Rockhold Lifelong Learning Foundation

Scholarship America

$5,000 - $9,999

Bruce Fortine and Gloria Mercado-Fortine

Citizens Business Bank

City of Santa Clarita Fonder-Salari Inc.

Fredrick Little International Scholarship and Tuition Services

Judith A. Davis

Kruger Bensen Ziemer Architects, Inc.

Landscape Development

Lockheed Martin Logix Federal Credit Union

Mike Quevedo Sr Scholarship Fund

Pacific Gas & Electric

Sandnes Family Foundation

Santa Clarita Concessions, Inc.

Santa Clarita Concrete Street Consulting Group

UC San Diego

UCLA Health

Valencia Acura

$1,000 - $4,999

11th Armoured Cavalry’s Veterans of Vietnam & Cambodia, Inc.

300 Recreation LLC

Alan Lewis and Heather Linde

Albert Rodriguez Alliance Rental Solutions

American Association of University Women

Amin Salari

Andy Gump, Inc.

Athens Services

AWS Foundation, Inc.

BD Lighting Design Inc.

Beverly Silsbee Black Box Board of Supervisors, County of Los Angeles

Burrtec Waste Industries, Inc. C.W. Driver

California-Hawaii Elks Major Project Inc.

Carolyn Baresi

Cengage Learning

Center for Scholarship Admin, Inc.

Charles and Gabriele Lyon

Chris and Jayne Fall

Condie, Thomas & Harbo CPAs

Congressman Howard McKeon Connection - Public Sector Solutions County of Los Angeles

Craig Larimer

DC Inspections, Inc.

Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation

Diane and Jack Stewart Diane and Robert Fiero

Dianne and Roger Van Hook

Don Like

Donna Robert

Dora Lozano

Edward and Dana Hill

Egg Plantation

Facey Medical Group

FivePoint

Gary and Diana Cusumano

Gary and Nelly Bertz

Gary Holm and Christopher Meyer

H & S Electric, Inc

Hae Y. Kim

Harold and Jacquie Petersen

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

Hillary Broadwater

HPS Mechanical, Inc.

James and Gabrielle Temple

Jeffrey P. Forrest

Jersey Mike’s Subs

Jill and Jim Mellady Joan MacGregor

John Lite Insurance Agency, Inc.

Joseph and Kathleen Klocko

Joyce Carson and Doron Schleifer Joyce Shulman

Judy and Bill Cormier

Keenan & Associates

Laborer’s International Union of North America

Last Chance Inc.

Laura and Jaime Satalich

LBW Insurance and Financial Services

Lefty Randall

Lundgren Management Corp

Mark Kelton

Matt and Colleen Carpenter Mercedes-Benz of Valencia

Michael Henry

Mike and Mary DeLorenzo

Mission Valley Bank

Mitchel and Meredithe Katz

Morton Manufacturing, Inc.

National Philanthropic Trust NE Systems, Inc.

Patricia and Guy Horanberg

Patricia D. Robinson

PBWS Architects

Pepsi Bottling Group

Piper Sandler & Co

Plocher Insurance Agency Inc.

Re/Max of Valencia

Richard and Chang Soon Moak

Rutherford Co. Inc.

Santa Clarita Valley Boys & Girls Club

Santa Clarita Valley Rotary Club

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Foundation

See’s Candy Shops, Inc.

Shannon Mee

Shepard Insurance Agency

Six Flags Magic Mountain

SMART Scholarship Funding Corp

Southern California Garden Club

Southern California Gas Company

Stephanie English

T and Vanessa Meyer

Taft Electric Company

Tamara Gurney

Tammie Decker

The Blackbaud Giving Fund

The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC)

Thierry H. Cassan and Lisa M. Phelps

Thomas and Colleen Lee

Tim Honadel

Tony and Reena Newhall

Toyota of North Hollywood, Inc.

Triangle Enterprises, Inc.

UNCF, Scholarships and Programs

Via Promotionals

Victoria and Scott Leonard

Wells Fargo Foundation

Westberg White Architecture

Westfield Town Center

William and Darleen Lyons

WM NC-Philanthropic West

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

$1 - $999

Achilles L. Canellis

Adam and Alisha Kaminsky

Adam Kaiserman and Priscilla Espinosa-Kaiserman

Adrienne J. Parker

Aero Engineering and Manufacturing

Alene Terzian-Zeitounian

Alexandra Dimakos

Allan and Nancy Pitzer

Allan Trautman

Allen Lund Company

Alyssa Lemus

Amanda Loya AmazonSmile

Amber Cole

American Red Cross

Amy Hildrew

Ana M. Bomberger

Anais Stephan

Andrew Nowakowski

Andrey Markov

Angie Durra

Ann and George Rhys

Ann Linnekens

Anna Bondarenko

Anna Frutos-Sanchez and Robert Sanchez

Anshuma Hingarh

Anthony and Susan Michaelides

Anthony Farias

Anthony Ware Ariel Toledo

B&B Manufacturing

Barbara Myler

BJ Lundgren

Blair Salisbury

Blinds & Shutters of All Kinds, Inc.

Bob and Kathy Kellar

Brandon Francke

Brandon Lieberman

Brandy Mackinney

Brenda Clarke

Brendan Jones

Brian Schlick

Bruce and Beth Neft

Cafe Mike Inc.

Caitlin McGowan

Cameron Stein

Candace A. Ford

CannonDesign

Carla Sanchez

Carrie Davis

Cecilia Galicia

Chelsea Rose Orzechowski

Chet Thompson

Chipotle

Chloe Caballero

Chris Blakey

Christa Quackenbush

Christi Franklin

Christine Ekwekwuo

Christopher Richards

Christopher Velez

Cindy Stephens

Claudia M. Acosta and Joao Junqueira

Collette and Hektor Gibson

Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, Inc.

Corey Downs

Cosimo and Carrie Giovine

Craig and Stephanie Dietrich

Cynthia A. Madia

Da Best Auto Detailz

Daniel Feist

Daniel Harutunian

Daniel Larimer

Danny Attia Darlene Bartel

David and Lori Cantrell

David Green David Han

David Rendall

Dawn Abasta and Shane Poulsen

Deanna Davis

Deanna R. Riveira

Debbie and Dustin Cleaver

Denise Lite

Desiree and Michael Dodd

Diana Amador

Diana and Gary Cusumano

Diana Stanich and Bradley J. Kirst

Diane Kindred

Diane M. Sionko

Dianne Avery

Diplomat Packaging Co.

Discover A Star Foundation

Dmitriy Bondarenko

Dominic Parero

Don and Cindee Takeda

Don Carlson

Don Kimball

Donald and Mary Heidt

Donald Gilmour

Donald Goettling

Donna K. Rodgers

Doreen Shine

Doris Marie and Steve Zimmer

Dylan Monson

Ed Bernstein

Edel Alonso

Edgar Ibarra

Elia Talamantes

Elizabeth Shaker

Elizabeth Teagle

Emanuel Lujan

Environmental HELP, Inc.

Eric and Sharon Jensen

Erica Betz-Cloyd

Erin Delaney and Jose C. Roa

Ernest Villegas

Esther Villegas-Sandoval

Evan Martin

Everbright Family Dentistry

Fred Arnold

Gabriel Hernandez

Garrett Rieck

Gary and Debra Komar

Gary L. Peterson

Gladys Volz

Greg Wyant

Gregory Poteat

Grethel Castanon

Griff Houtary

Harman Gakhal

Harold McCray

Harriet Happel

Heather Frame

Hector Ramos

Heidy Anzaldo

Heritage Sierra Medical Group

Hershie Lopez

Hoefflin Enterprises, Inc.

Housing Corporation of America, Inc.

Human Ummah Foundation, Inc.

Instaparty

Intertex Companies

Jade Villanueva

James and Hannah Kneblik

James Householder

James Lovato

James Ruzicka

James Shiraishi

James T. Ventress

James Yannotta

James Zauala

Jamie L. Page

Jan K. Keller and Terence Van Vliet

Janet Cetrone

Janet Johnson

Janine and Dan Jones

Jasmine and Steve Ruys

Jasmine Foster and William C. Cloyd

Jasmine Jose

Jason Beukema

Jeff and Kiki Hacker

Jennifer and Jon Hauss

Jennifer Cooke

Jenny Ketchepaw

Jeremy Patrich

Jerica and Joshua Cross

Jim and Anne Parkin

Jim and Stella Pilarski

Jim Gomez

Jim Keller

Jim Powder

Joan Warden

Joe and Sharon Wilcox

Joel Jimenez

John and Jennifer Milburn John L. Dortch

John Sobiski

John Yaralian

Johnathan D’Aguiar

Johnny Lemus

Jonathan Dolce

Jonathan Groce

Jonathna Chimp

Joseph Angelo Peña

Joshua Lanag

Joyce Rodgers

Juan and Natalie Buriel

Judith Demsky and Ericson Dunstan

Junaid Khan and Saima Chohan

Kandice Pliss

Kara G. Petersen

Karla De Leon

Kassandra Castrellon

Kathleen Sturkey

Kathy and Tim Norris

Kayla Diaz

Kelly and Vernon Burke

Kelly J. Cude

Kemp Brothers Construction

Kevin Anthony

Kimberly Berthet

Kristi Miura

Lance Fogan

Laurence and Marlene Strauss

Lavata and James Roane

Lawrence Patchin

Leonardo Romo

Lief Labs

Lifelong Learning Administration Corporation

LiJuan Zhu

Lili Zhou

Linda and John Bartel

Linda Beauregard-Vasquez

Lisa and Chris Raigosa

Lisa Cronk

Lisa Raggio

Lori Young Lorin McCleary

Lorna and Alduino Adelini

Lou Ann Dien

Luis Lara

Luis Serrato

Luke Peterson

Lyn Jose Madison Fink

Malana Rhudy

Margarita Camilo

Marianne Bakic

Marilu Ramirez

Mark Alexander Mark Daybell

Mark Jenkins and Roxie Ramey Mark Mercado

Martin Diaz Matthew Nicholes

McKeon Group LLC

Melaleuca

Mellady Direct Marketing

Merlyn Reeves

Mia Behrens

Mia deJesus

Michael and Carolyn McMahan

Michael and Lisa Walsh

Michael and Rosemary Joslin

Michael J. Boomsma

Michael McCaffrey

Michele Lecrivain

Mike Bastine

Mike Harutunian

Miriam Coipel

MLT Consulting, LLC

Monica Fawcett

Myrna Condie

Nicolas and Nicole Cardenas

Nicole E. Faudree

Nikki Miller

Olivia Bartel Leigh

Omar Ballesteros

Omar Torres

Pam and Steve Ingram

Pamela Williams-Paez

Patricia Foley

Patricia LaBat

Paul Raggio

Paul Rutherford

Paul Wickline and Karol Matson

Pauline Harte

Pepperdine University

Pierre Etienne

Poole & Shaffery, LLP

Priscilla Benites

Rajan Jacob

Randy Lovelady

Ray Bowyer

Reeves Complete Auto Center Inc.

Remo, Inc.

Rhealynn Ortiz

Richard J. Ramirez Jr.

Rie Ulysses Santos

Robert and Judith Mosier

Robert and Kathleen Maxwell

Robert D. Shumer

Robert Stos

Roberta Ciardi

Rochelle Silsbee

Ron and Kit Dreiling

Roscoe and Lisa L. Marter

Ryan and Beth Theule

Ryan Embola

Ryan Murphy

S.T.R.E.A.M Global Innovations, Inc.

Saburo and Sonah R. Matsumoto

Sade Liu

Sage Staffing

Samantha Barajas

Samuel and Georgia Moses

Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation

Santa Clarita Veterans Service Collaborative

Schools First FCU

Scott Andersen

Scott Dien

Scott Schauer

Scottie Bonsangue

Shannon Pedroza

Sharlene Duzick

Shawn and Alisha Fonder

Shell Oil Company Foundation

Matching Gifts

Sherilyn Froehlich

Skip and Lorie Newhall

SRG Enterprises

St. Malachy Catholic Church

Stacie Villanueva

Stephanie Jew

Stephanie Meredith

Stephen Peeples

Stephen Youlios

Steve Santana

Steve Siebersma

Steven and Carla Corn

Sue Tweddell

Sunburst Soles

Susan Alberts

Susan Bartel

Susan Brown

Susan L. Sutton

Susanlee Bozman

Susanne Bendavid

Svetlana Onthank

Syl Arena

Tamela and Brad Castor

Taylor and Becca Kellstrom

Tehachapi High School

Tehachapi Mountain Quilters

Tellie Avila

Teresa and David Ciardi

Teresa Todd

The Devereux Foundation

Thompson | VonTungeln A.P.C

Tim Sokolowski

Timothy Williams

Tom and Sandy Dierckman

Tony Watson

Trennis Wright

Trisha Albertsen

Tyler Menjivar

Valencia High School

Vicki Gilmer

W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Wallace Horton Jr. Wayne Dawson

Yarely Gonzalez Hernandez Youth Fund of Southern California

Zaiba Fayyaz