The Scholarship Foundation honored hundreds of area students at consecutive awards ceremonies on May 27 and 28. Approximately 650 people attended the Foundation’s South County Scholarship Awards Ceremony on May 27 at the Courthouse Sunken Garden in Santa Barbara, and approximately 850 people attended the organization’s North County Scholarship Awards Ceremony on May 28 at the Santa Maria Fairpark Convention Center. The annual events recognize new and returning Scholarship Foundation recipients. Attendees at each ceremony included students, parents, educators, and community leaders.

Scholarship Foundation Board Chair Pamela Gann was a featured speaker at both events, along with Dr. Angel Iscovich, chair of the Santa Barbara Foundation Board of Trustees. The Santa Barbara Foundation contributed more than $900,000 in scholarship funds this year, and is one of the Scholarship Foundation’s largest partners.

This year, the Scholarship Foundation will award college and vocational scholarships totaling more than $8.4 million to almost 2,300 students throughout Santa Barbara County.

“My colleagues and I relish the opportunity to meet our recipients and their families at these awards ceremonies each year. It is tremendously meaningful to celebrate this milestone with them. Our sincere thanks to the many generous donors who fund our scholarships and make our work possible,” said Tim Dougherty, interim president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation.