The Rogue Community College Foundation will receive $60,000 from the James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation after meeting a challenge to raise a matching amount. In May 2008, the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation challenged Oregon’s 17 community colleges to outpace their fundraising for student scholarship money by April 2009. For the RCC Foundation, that meant raising $60,000 of new scholarship money in less than a year, which the Miller Foundation would match dollar for dollar. The RCC Foundation met that goal in January, according to Executive Director Jennifer Wheatley.

“We are ecstatic about meeting the Miller Challenge,” Wheatley said. “We received outstanding support from the community and are so grateful to everyone for rallying around the college and our students during these tough economic times. The generosity of the Miller Foundation and the support of the community will provide for nearly 100 additional scholarships this year.”

Last year the RCC Foundation awarded more than 550 scholarships, and the foundation has already received hundreds of scholarship applications for the 2009-10 academic year. The deadline to apply is Monday, March 2. Application information is available at www.rccfoundation.org.

Statewide, fall enrollment at Oregon’s community colleges was up 10.3 percent over last year and nearly 15 percent at RCC. Winter term enrollment at RCC also increased — by more than 14 percent. Much of the growth is due to increased demand for training as laidoff workers seek new skills and existing workers endeavor to increase their skills. The Rogue Community College Foundation supports the college through scholarships and direct project support in Josephine and Jackson counties. The private non-profit foundation accepts tax-deductible gifts and bequests and currently manages a substantial endowment. More information is available by calling the RCC Foundation at (541) 956-7327.