THANK YOU!
Your interest and support ensured Monterey County Gives! had a record breaking year. Together, we empower our local nonprofit community
to be its best. Thank you!
-The Monterey County Gives! team.
The Monterey Peninsula College Foundation creates opportunities for students and enhances the learning environment at MPC by fundraising and friend raising. The philosophy that "education is the means by which people may reach their full potential" drives the Foundation's enrichment programs and commitment to student success.
An increased demand for college-educated professionals in the STEM workforce has created an urgent need to recruit and educate more students for STEM career paths. STEM graduates can earn salaries that are nearly double the national average of non-STEM jobs, yet statistics indicate that ethnic minorities are severely underrepresented in STEM education and occupations. Monterey Peninsula College is ideally positioned to address this issue and prepare future STEM professionals. With a diverse student body and free tuition for local high school graduates, MPC serves as an access point to higher education for many students who otherwise may not be able to pursue a college degree, particularly first-generation college students and those from socioeconomically challenged families. The MPC STEM Endowment was established to enhance, grow, and sustain STEM activities at MPC and ensure future generations of students have access to valuable STEM academic support, lab and classroom equipment, and career-building experiences.
I am a first-generation American-Kurdish woman and the first aspiring scientist in my family. With dedication, perseverance, and lots of help from mentors, teachers, friends, and loved ones, I followed my passions for STEM, which have thus far led me to where I am today. I am now a second-year student at MPC studying Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology. I truly believe this MPC Foundation scholarship has played an impactful role in paving the way to my future as a scientist in research. As someone who plans on pursuing higher education (including a bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D.), financial support is a must. The scholarship support aids in the relief of the immense financial burdens I will be facing throughout my lengthy educational career.
- Lana Ibrahem