Welcome back Pirate Alumni!

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looking at like other students in other universities and how they struggle and have all these expenses. I feel like just so well taken care of knowing that

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I don't have those worries and I'm really grateful for that. My name is Kameha Kelner and what I'm studying here at Ventura College is my business administration transfer degree.

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So, ever since I was little, I was really like drawn to business and leadership. And maybe from being a bossy kid to being more so like a productive,

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effective leader who listens to others is what I've been able to transform that into. And that's where my college dreams have always always led me to is towards that route. The Ventura College

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Foundation has helped me in like ways that I didn't even know were possible.

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I've had quite a few roadblocks getting to Ventura College. Uh I am a first generation student. College is expensive. How do I pay for college? How

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am I going to pay for my books? How how am I going to pay for transportation?

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I've received two scholarships from the Ventura College Foundation so far in my first year. Another thing that that has been a great help that helps so many of

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us is um the Ventura College Promise. So that's what makes um Ventura College free for 2 years. That's been a huge huge asset in and allowing me to come to

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this school and not having to worry about that and just focus on my education. That's been a massive support. Another great support here at Ventura College that I frequent um is

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the basic needs food pantry. Uh it's something that is an opportunity for students of any type of background to go in there and grab a snack or grab

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groceries. They have free food available to students. When you're on campus for 12 hours plus or you're back to back in

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classes, you don't have time to leave and go get food and you also maybe aren't able to work as much.

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Being a student so far that's been able to be on the receiving end of all of this amazing amazing support has truly

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inspired me to to know that this is not my story but the story of so many other students. And to anybody who has donated

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or is thinking about it, it's it's your money and your dollars are going towards a person. It's an investment, an investment in your community and a in a

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someone that you believe in. To be able to achieve my dreams and focus on my academics has been a privilege that I'm just so grateful for.