Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), a Maricopa Community College, hosted its 12th Annual Scholarship Luncheon today in honor of 160 students who were awarded scholarships during the 2008-2009 academic year, and the donors who make those scholarship opportunities available to them. Channel 5's Catherine Anaya emceed the event.
The luncheon was held at 12:30 p.m. in the Estrella Hall Community Room where more than 100 guests gathered to honor students and donors. The scholarship awards illustrate the generosity of more than 40 donors including the Hispanic Leadership Forum del Oeste, the Maricopa Community College Foundation, the Dougherty Foundation, and many other community organizations and corporations. "Our goal is to continue to grow the college's endowment so we can support the educational goals of our West Valley students," said Adolfo Gamez, director of corporate and foundation relations.
The students who attended the luncheon were invited to the front of the room so the group could recognize their accomplishments. Julio Covarrubias, a second-year art major at Estrella Mountain, was genuinely honored to receive a scholarship from the Honors Foundation. "This means a lot to me because my education means a lot to me," he said. "I'm only here because of scholarships and financial aid; without it, I wouldn't be able to continue."