News and Media
The Eastern Sierra Foundation (ESF) distributed a total of 135 scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year (17 for Summer, 68 for Fall, and 50 for Spring), and is already on pace to support 70 students this fall. This crucial financial aid ensures local students from Inyo County to have the resources to pursue their educational goals, directly addressing the barrier of college affordability.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Eastern Sierra Foundation and Southern California Edison for creating the ESCC Transfer Scholarship,” Dutton said. “This support will allow me to continue my education at the University of Nevada, Reno, and pursue my dream of working in science.
The Inyo Promise provides students a pathway to success — free from the financial strain that others have to endure — through both Cerro Coso Community College and the University of Nevada, Reno.
Miguel Gomez is the Eastern Sierra Foundation’s latest choice to receive a $10,000 transfer scholarship. Miguel’s story is an improbable one. He is now 28 years old. He quit college on two different occasions before he finally stuck on his third try. Some courses, like English 101, "I probably retook four times," he said with a rueful grin. In retaking classes, he was able to wipe the past failures from his record and bump his grade-point average from a 1.2 to a 3.6. That, you math whizzes out there, is improvement by a factor of three!
Madelyne Bigham and Dakota Reynolds are the recipients of the 2023 $5K transfer scholarships from the Eastern Sierra Foundation (ESF).
One hundred new scholarships are now available for all Inyo County residents who enroll for the Spring 2021 semester at Cerro Coso Community College. Since the college will be offering a largely online program in the spring due to COVID-19, ESF will be covering the cost of online as well as on-ground courses. Open registration for Cerro Coso’s Spring 2021 semester begins November 19th. Scholarship applications are available online at https://www.easternsierrafoundation.org. All Inyo County residents enrolled in at least one Cerro Coso course are eligible. The scholarship application deadline is Thursday, December 17th at 5PM. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis up to 100 scholarships or while funds are available.
We are grateful to work with staff and board members to achieve more success through higher education in the Eastern Sierra, Dave McCoy’s vision and generosity have been transformational for our students and their families. Since the Eastern Sierra College Center opened, through both campuses have awarded 837 certificates and degrees and the foundations have awarded over 2,000 full scholarships to local students. Dave McCoy’s legacy will live on in the lives of Eastern Sierra students and their families who have benefited from local, affordable access to higher education.
There is an Emergency Medical Technician course being provided by Cerro Coso Community College, hosted by the Big Pine Volunteer Fire Department beginning in January of 2020. This course will teach you how to save lives. The volunteer fire departments in Inyo County desperately need volunteer EMTs, especially those who have ability (or permission of their employer) during daytime hours.
“We are very grateful to the funders for making these scholarships possible each year and to Deanna Campbell and her staff at Cerro Coso Community College for all their time, support and dedication to manage the ESF scholarships,” said Jeff Griffiths. “Scholarships from the Eastern Sierra Foundation fund 100% of tuition and $300 towards books for ANY Inyo County resident attending the Bishop campus full-time, simultaneously supporting our local students and our local college.”
A plaque was given to Terry and Liz McAteer for their dedicated service to the Eastern Sierra Foundation and the advancement of higher education in Inyo County.
