Whatcom Community College
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The mission of Whatcom Community College Foundation is to enhance educational opportunities by providing student scholarships, to support faculty development, and to assist with key college initiatives.
Our Work
Success Stories
Free 3D Printing Materials
Donated by BP to the Learning Common's Maker SpaceThanks to business and corporate partners like BP, WCC provides free consumable materials to all WCC students, faculty and staff.
Our campus community makers are creating heart valves, emblems, metal and wood engravings, mechanical hands, posters and stickers, and more.
Pandemic Support
Faculty & Student Support during COVID-19 Pandemic
WCC Foundation is responding to the pandemic-related financial hardship increasingly experienced by our students and employees. The need is urgent and growing as economic uncertainty persists.
Thanks to our community of donors, like you, WCC Foundation has allocated nearly $106,000 since last April to support our students’ resilience, providing aid for tuition, housing, food, utilities, childcare and other expenses that are barriers to continuing their education. These funds support critical student needs beyond scholarships.
Federal funding restrictions deny over 25% of our student applicants CARES Act relief. To respond to this gap for our students, the WCC Foundation is partnering with the College’s Financial Aid to leverage your support alongside other emergency funding to ensure students receive the support they need through one simple request form.
A gift to the WCC Foundation will have a direct, positive impact on our students, campus, and entire community. You may donate online, write a check to "WCC Foundation" mailed to 237 W. Kellogg Road, Bellingham, WA 98226, or contact us at 360.383.3320 or foundation@whatcom.edu to learn more about our urgent needs list.
We value your consideration in supporting our students who are most in need during this challenging time.
Scholarship Spotlight
Adam Brendgard, 2021-2022 NCyTE Scholarship Recipient
Adam Brendgard is one of 15 cybersecurity and computer information systems students who received scholarship awards from WCC’s National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center (NCyTE) this year. The scholarships, made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation and coordinated by WCC Foundation, total more than $77,000.
Brendgard is a Computer Information Systems Associate of Applied Science major at WCC. He came to Whatcom after serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, and he now serves as a reservist. “After four years of experience in the U.S. Coast Guard, I was able to find my niche and future career path that I knew I would excel at. I was inspired to attend Whatcom because of their impressive cyber program,” Brendgard said.
While his service in the Coast Guard provided some tuition assistance via the G.I. Bill, receiving the NCyTE scholarship helps bridge the gap for outstanding education costs and rent, Brendgard says. "This is truly a great burden lifted off my shoulders.” After graduation from Whatcom, Brendgard plans to attend Western Washington University to obtain a bachelor of science degree in cybersecurity and continue with a master’s degree. “Whatcom opened the door to a career I'll excel at, and I know I'll enjoy it for the rest of my years.”