Ventura College has emerged as a leader in the evolution of higher education for California’s community colleges.
The Ventura College Foundation has launched the Invest in Success Campaign, a $7 million endeavor to fund student support initiatives designed to remove financial barriers and open doors of opportunity for students. We invite you to enrich our students’ lives and enhance the ultimate impact on the economic vitality of Ventura County.
Helping students achieve their dreams helps us all
Community colleges like Ventura College drive social and economic mobility at levels greater than four-year colleges. This is true not just for students, but for the places they live, creating nearly 1.5 million jobs in the state.*
When students achieve their academic goals at Ventura College, they can fulfill their dreams of a rewarding career, higher income, and better quality of life. A 2022 study** found that a community college graduate with an associate degree earns on average $11,100 more annually than a person with a high school diploma. Over a lifetime, that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars benefitting families and the community.
Fewer barriers mean better outcomes
Each year, over 19,000 students come to Ventura College with a passion and drive to better their lives, only to have financial burdens, family obligations, and social and racial inequities deter them from achieving their potential.
More than ever, we need to eliminate equity gaps and empower all students to succeed. Studies have shown that providing community college students with comprehensive support services increases their chances of earning an associate degree within three years.***
That’s why the Invest in Success Campaign supports two student initiatives: the Ventura College Promise and the Basic Needs Center.
*Source: https://calmatters.org/commentary/2022/02/the-irreplaceable-value-of-californias-community-colleges/
**Source: Emsi Burning Glass. (2022). The Economic Value of the California Community College System.
*** Source: MDRC. (2022). Increasing Community College Graduation Rates With a Proven Model.
0%
To Goal!Goal: $7 million
Current Total: $6,203,970
The Ventura College Promise
The Ventura College Foundation started the Promise program in 2007, covering fees for all recent Ventura County high school graduates. Due to its overwhelming success, it became the model for the statewide California Promise Program legislation.
Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, the Ventura College Foundation has allocated over $4 million to students through the Promise program.
Recent state budget cuts caused a shortfall in Promise funding. The Invest in Success Campaign is committed to closing this gap to ensure eligible students are served. This campaign will stabilize the Promise program and enable the Ventura College Foundation to expand its financial impact.
VC Promise: Quick Facts
A proven path to success and opportunity
25,218 Students
$158,000 in promise Support
Recipients are
70% more likely to complete
The need in Ventura County
27%
318%
63%
$29.59
The Basic Needs Centers
Even with financial aid and often times multiple jobs, many students still struggle with rising food and housing costs. The Basic Needs Centers are on-site at both campuses; they offer groceries, meal vouchers, household items and housing assistance to students facing these barriers. In 2022-23 over 2,400 students used the Basic Needs Center over 29,000 times!
The Invest in Success Campaign will sustain the Basic Needs Center and provide for growth where services are needed. Funding will allow expansion of pantry food and supplies and wraparound services so students can complete their education.
Basic Needs: Quick Facts
Vital support programs helping VC students thrive:
100+ Free Showers
provided weekly, including towels, lockers, and toiletries
1,500 Pantry Visits
each week, supplying snacks, groceries, and personal care items
120 Hot Meals
distributed twice weekly via meal vouchers
15,000+ Pounds
of food distributed weekly through partnerships
Who Are Our Basic Needs Students?
66%
Hispanic
55%
receive a California College Promise Grant
7%
identify as LGBTQIA+
2.5%
live in shelters
5.7%
temporarily housed in hotels/hotels
13.7%
couch surf
2.8%
live outdoors (streets, sidewalks, alleys)
Our Commitment
When you help make student dreams come true, you make the world a better place.
The transformative impact of education is at the core of the Ventura College Promise program, removing financial barriers and ensuring that all students have an equal opportunity to live, learn, and contribute. The Basic Needs Center addresses daily challenges students face, ensuring that they can fully participate in their educational journey and overcome obstacles.
Support provided by the Ventura College Promise program and Basic Needs Center is not just assistance; it's insightful and relevant support tailored to meet the unique needs of each student.
We invite donors, alumni, residents, business owners and foundations to partner with Ventura College as we prepare for our next century of higher education.
With your gift to the Invest in Success Campaign, you will join us to:
Provide crucial support for tuition, fees, food, supplies, and increase graduation rates
Create opportunities for students to pursue their academic and professional goals
Facilitate socioeconomic mobility for more students and their families
Sustain these programs by closing funding gaps to continue to meet the needs of students facing financial barriers
Donor Honor Roll
Distinguished Visionary ($1M and above)
- Warren Wise* In his memory by Barbara Wise
- Bill Faulkner*
Campaign Champions ($500,000 to $999,999)
- The John and Glenda Hammer Family
- Lynn Wan*
Chancellor’s Club ($250,000 to $499,999)
- Joy Kobayashi and Peter Madnick*
- Mary Saputo*
- TOLD Foundation
President’s Club ($100,000 to $249,999)
- Richard and Kristin Taylor*
- Jennifer O’Toole*
- Lester Tong and Mae Wan Tong*
- Dr. Ruth M. Hemming
Dean’s Club ($50,000 to $99,999)
- Abra Pilar Flores*
- Bill and Elise Kearney
- Elizabeth and Dave Kraus*
- Anne Paul King*
- Ellyn & Jim Dembowski
- Anonymous*
- Chuck and Kim Hoffmans*
- Anonymous*
- C. Robert (Bob) Reeves
- Joe and Kyle Kreutz
Compassionate Leaders ($25,000 to $49,999)
- Betsy Blanchard Chess
- Kenneth S. Collin
- Rob van Nieuwburg*
- Ed Summers
- Peter and Maria Zierhut
- Jean Wise* In her memory by Ronald Wise
- Mike & Loretta Merewether
Partners in Success ($10,000 to $24,999)
- Dr. Cynthia Herrera
- Matt and Alicia LaVere
- Rick and Theresa MacLennan
- Bill and Stacey Ayub
- Hon. Colleen Toy White in her memory by Art Bliss
- Janet and Charles Curtis in memory of George McNeely
- Felicia Dueñas & Oscar Cobian
Benefactors ($5,000 to $9,999)
- The Kreutz Family
- George and Laurie Leis
- Dr. Claudia Lourido-Habib
- John and Gina Marquez
- Jill Murakoa
- Linda Rossi
- Harald Wulff
- Denise Baylor
*Includes a legacy gift
Campaign Leadership
This effort is guided by a powerhouse of community leaders:
Campaign Co-chairs
- Rick MacLennan, Ed.D.
- Peter Zierhut
Campaign Special Advisor
- Bill Kearney
Campaign Cabinet
- Dianne McKay, Chair
- Bill Ayub
- Cynthia Herrera, Ph.D.
- Nicole Kreutz, Board Chair
- George Leis
- Dr. Luca E. Lewis
- John Marquez
- Linda Rossi
- Kris Taylor
- Richard Taylor
- Nicole Kreutz, Board Chair
- Rob van Nieuwburg, Board Vice Chair
- Dustin Tondreau, Treasurer
- Abra Pilar Flores, Secretary
- Dr. Luca E. Lewis
- Kamea Kellner
- Adrienne Arguijo, M.A.
- Debe Bylo
- Kenneth Collin
- Anne Paul King
- Elizabeth Kraus
- Matt LaVere, Esq.
- Lydia Matthews-Morales
- Ed Summers
- Harald Wulff, Ph.D.
- James Zavas
Board Emerti:
- David Bianco*
- Ellyn Dembowski
- Ruth Hemming, ED.D
- David Pugh*
- Donna Santo, ESQ.
- Richard Taylor, ESQ.
- Lucia Tebbe*
- Eleanor Tillquist
- George Tillquist*
- Hon. Colleen Toy White*
- John Woolley, ED.D
- Helen Yunker*
* Deceased