SBCEO - From the Desk of Bill Cirone

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October 26, 2001

Foundation helps with student aid

This time of year, many high school students and their parents start to think about college. Usually there are two main concerns: how to get accepted and how to pay for it.

For nearly 70 years the Santa Barbara Foundation has been providing financial help to local students, through its loan and scholarship programs. We know that this support has proven extremely valuable to thousands of local families as they face the challenges of financing higher education for their children.

Parents should be aware that applications are available now through January 25 for eight of the foundation’s programs.

The Undergraduate Loan Program provides loans for up to four years of undergraduate studies. They are interest-free and repayment begins six months after the student graduates or otherwise leaves school. When 50 percent of the loan has been repaid in a timely manner, it is considered paid in full.

The Schwalenberg Medical Student Loan Program provides loans to students for up to 14 quarters of medical school and can be received in addition to an undergraduate loan. These loans are interest-free and repayment begins 18 months after the students receives an M.D. or leaves school for other reasons. For students who enter family practice or internal medicine, the medical school loan is considered paid in full when 50 percent has been repaid in a timely manner.

The Jake Gimbel Graduate Loan Program provides no-interest loans for up to two years for students earning a graduate degree from a California college or university.

The John and Peggy Maximum Fund for Foster Care Students provides scholarships for foster children. Priority is given to students who attend Santa Barbara County institutions of higher learning. Awards may be given to students enrolled in a technical education program at an approved school.

Ruth and Walter Klass Scholarships are provided to Lompoc Valley students focusing on the hard sciences or health and medicine. Undergraduate and graduate scholarships are available. For graduate students in medicine, priority is given to applicants focusing on acute illnesses.

Valley Community Hospital Auxiliary Fund is for Santa Maria Valley students pursuing careers in health or medicine. Undergraduate and graduate scholarships are available.

David E. Maccianti Memorial Scholarships, established by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Association, are available to students pursuing careers in law enforcement.

Santa Barbara Air Fair Scholarships are provided to students pursuing aviation-oriented careers.

Eligibility requirements for all of these scholarships and loans are available by contacting the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, which administers these programs on behalf of the Santa Barbara Foundation, at 965-7212.

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