By Toni Gibbons Betsyann Wilson, executive director with the Northland Pioneer College Friends and Family (NPCFF) announced that the NPCFF audit 2017-18 has been completed at the Navajo County Community College District Governing Board meeting on Oct. 16. “I am happy to report that we have grown this year in total assets from $561,000 to approximately $673,000. Most of that increase has gone into our endowed scholarships, so this has been a really strong year for us,” said Wilson. The NPCFF scholarship application cycle for fall is now open. The scholarships awarded during this time will go to fund the spring semester. Wilson gave a brief list of some of the funds available, including the Leg Up and Fill the Gap scholarships. “We award one of each scholarship per center,” noted Wilson. Applications are still being accepted for the Pres Winslow Memorial Scholarship and the Charles E. Lisitzky Memorial Scholarship. Wilson shared that the brand new Dr. Jeanne Swarthout Presidential Excellence Scholarship is now open. The scholarship was established by friends of former Northland Pioneer College President Swarthout, commemorating her retirement and honoring her career in education, and her years of service and dedication to NPC. “At the time of her retirement, people chose to give to a scholarship fund rather than a retirement gift and we have about $10,000 in restricted funds for that scholarship,” said Wilson. “Dr. Swarthout has chosen for the money to be given at a rate of $1,000 per semester until the funds are used up.” At the conclusion of her report, Wilson said that she had an opportunity to attend an open house for the construction technology program for the Whiteriver High School students at the Whiteriver Center. “The students are constructing tiny houses that will be occupied by our law enforcement academy cadets as their project,” said Wilson. “The open house was to demonstrate the construction in progress and also the construction facility they have built for themselves. It was incredibly impressive. I don’t think you could have gotten a better welcome and tour if you had walked onto a job site in Phoenix. These students were outstanding.” For more information on the scholarship funds available, go to www.npcfriendsfamily.org/scholarships.
