In partnership with the SBCC Foundation, Rotary Club of Montecito and its supporting foundation have awarded 10 $1,250 scholarships to high-performing Santa Barbara City College vocational and career technology students.
Rotary Club of Montecito has long prioritized education as a key area of focus by providing financial support to ensure Santa Barbara’s local youth can maximize their potential.
“The Rotary Club of Montecito has been partnering with Santa Barbara City College for more than 25 years, providing annual scholarship awards to qualified students pursuing vocational and career technical degrees,” said Kati Buehler, president, Rotary Club of Montecito.
“The club awarded 10 scholarships this year for a total of $12,500 and is proud to support the recipients as they persevere in their studies,” she said. “Our club membership is committed to supporting educational opportunities for SBCC students so they can pursue successful careers in a variety of career technical fields.”
“We are grateful to the Rotary Club of Montecito for its generous support of SBCC’s Career Technical Education students,” said SBCC Foundation CEO Geoff Green. “These scholarships support talented students in a wide array of CTE fields, spotlighting one of the great strengths of our community’s college. SBCC serves as one of our region’s most important economic development engines.
“The vast majority of these exemplary students move directly into our local workforce after completing their education.”
Nominations come from faculty members in SBCC’s more than five dozen Career Technical Education Programs. The scholarships awarded this year cover a range of endeavors, including medical studies, multimedia arts and technology, film production, early childhood education, marine diving technology, business entrepreneurship, and automotive technology.
Faculty take into consideration students’ leadership qualities, excellence in their discipline, and community involvement.
The 2020 award recipients are:
Rotary Club of Montecito Scholarships
Maria Abundez, Vocational Nursing (In Memory of Rosslyn Ray)
Jason Usami, Film Production
Melissa Mueller, Radiology
Cristian Sanchez, Automotive Technology
Isaac Kershner, Animation and Gaming
Emma Horanic, Marine Diving Technology, Martin and Julia Koobation Scholarship
Rotary Club of Montecito Foundation Scholarships
Priscilla Nolasco, Early Childhood Education, Kati and Peter Buehler Scholarship
Keith Steele, Associate Degree in Nursing, Catherine Cash and Bruce McRoy Nursing Scholarship
Tobias Norby, Business with an Accounting Emphasis, Lora and Tom Fisher Business Education Scholarship
Lucas Roque, Entrepreneurship, Lynda Nahra Scholarship