2023 Scholars

Whatcom Community Foundation / Community Ventures / Birth to Bright Futures / 2023 Scholars

2023 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

A scholarship is an expression of hope and an act of love. It is also a key to a door that is often locked.

Too many of our local students struggle to access the opportunities provided by post-secondary education, and we are so grateful that you understand. During the past 20 years, your faith in our youth and your trust in us has been a powerful combination, leading to an investment of over $2 million dollars in scholarship funding, releasing the potential of hard-working graduating seniors in our county.

We offer up a huge thank you to the donors and committee members who made possible a successful 2023 scholarship season. We are so happy to have awarded 83 recipients a total of $161,000.

As you read the expressions of gratitude below, we hope you are happy to see that your investment is in good hands.

And speaking of investments …

The national landscape of scholarship administration is changing. There is an increased focus on targeted, need-based scholarship funding and finding creative solutions to some of the big problems our nation and state are facing around access to post-secondary education. One new effort we are making involves our Childhood Savings Account (CSA) pilot project. CSAs are early investment accounts, generally made when a child is born or enters kindergarten. They provide early encouragement to young students, inspiring a college-going mindset as well as engaging financially vulnerable families in saving and planning for their children’s financial futures. A gift to this fund today has a potentially much larger impact over time; children with college savings of just $500 are 3X more likely to attend college and 4X more likely to graduate from college. In addition, we aim to increase our focus on need-based scholarship awards in the coming years- click here to learn why and stay tuned for more information to come.

Below, we celebrate the Whatcom Community Foundation’s 2023 Scholarship Recipients:

Julie Gill, Sehome High School
Colorado School of Mines

Anvil Engineering & Science Scholarship

Jonah Macke, Squalicum High School
Western Washington University

Brett Allsop Memorial Scholarship

Thomas Funk, Sehome High School
Southern Methodist University

Dave Nelson Memorial Foundation Scholarship

Mary Jane Senger, Sehome High School
University of Washington

Dave Nelson Memorial Foundation Scholarship

Kehr Allsop, Sehome High School
University of Denver

Fairhaven Alumni Scholarship

Wesley Bothel, Sehome High School
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

Fairhaven Alumni Scholarship

Francesca Capristo, Sehome High School
Chapman University

Fairhaven Alumni Scholarship

Sierra Hawes, Sehome High School
University of Oregon

Fairhaven Alumni Scholarship

Isaac Lawrence, Sehome High School
Grand Canyon University

Fairhaven Alumni Scholarship

Natalie Ruthford, Sehome High School
University of Utah

Fairhaven Alumni Scholarship

Zoey Soden, Sehome High School
George Washington University

Fairhaven Alumni Scholarship

Ezra Price, Bellingham High School
Western Washington University – Honors College

Haggen Food & Pharmacy Scholarship

Hope Weeda, Blaine High School
Colorado Christian University

Hannah Dashiell Memorial Scholarship

Augustus Booker, Bellingham High School
Willamette University

Harris Gonsalves Memorial Scholarship

Ella Thompson, Sehome High School
University of Washington

Joan Beardsley Memorial Scholarship

Lola Bultsma, Sehome High School
Western Washington University

John & Helen Warden Memorial Music Scholarship

Byanca Holguin, Blaine High School
Western Washington University

Kiwanis Club of Bellingham

Siena Stiles, Bellingham High School
Whitman College

Kiwanis Club of Bellingham Scholarship

Hayley Jimmie, Mt. Baker High School
University of Hawaii at Manoa

Larry G. Kinley Leadership Scholarship

Marissa Guthrie, Bellingham High School
Northwest University

LaVelle A “Vel” West Scholarship

Caden DeFries, Squalicum High School
Oregon State University

Lori Poad Memorial Scholarship

Isabella Sullivan, Sehome High School
Colorado State University

Macpherson Music & Math Scholarship

Boston Jordan, Sehome High School
University of Oregon

Masonic Scholar-Citizen Scholarship

Sylvie Lausier, Blaine High School
University of Washington

Masonic Scholar-Citizen Scholarship

Avery Catlin, Squalicum High School
Colorado Christian University

Nicholas Moothart Scholarship

Sadey Goodman, Sehome High School
Western Washington University

North Cascades Audubon Society Scholarship

Keile Taylor, Blaine High School
Oregon State University

North Cascades Audubon Society Scholarship

Xochi Ayotte, Options High School
Western Washington University

Options Scholarship

Luis Bohay, Options High School
Bellingham Technical College

Options Scholarship

Adrain Cairns, Options High School
Western Washington University

Options Scholarship

Liliana Davison, Options High School
Bellingham Technical College

Options Scholarship

Dylan Schenkel, Options High School
Whatcom Community College / California Polytechnic State University

Options Scholarship

Kinoah Mitchell, Sehome High School
California State University, Fullerton