The Allan Hancock College Foundation awarded scholarships totaling $225,000 to 237 top students on Thursday, May 24.  More than 900 students, relatives, friends, donors and community members attended the college's 32nd annual scholarship banquet in the AHC sports pavilion.  Scholarships ranging in amounts up to $10,000 were awarded to students from all parts of the Central Coast, from Solvang to Paso Robles.

(L-R) Edwin O'Neill Law Enforcement Recipient: Dayna L Gregory, 
Dr. Ann Foxworthy, Marian Hancock Recipient: Tanya Conley

In keeping with tradition, the Santa Maria Elks #1538 once again sponsored the Santa Maria-style barbecue for the scholarship event, and the Allan Hancock College Associated Student Body Government hosted the banquet.

The continued theme for the annual scholarship event was "Community Supporting Community" with a special focus on "A Tribute to Alumni Donors" detailing scholarships established by alumni in support of current students.  The tribute recognized five alumni who continue to give back to their community through the annual scholarship program:

• Joe A. Olivera, Jr, an Allan Hancock College Foundation board member, active community member, and a former Santa Maria Junior College  (later named Allan Hancock College) student in the 1940s, who established the Joe A. Olivera Scholarship "to give deserving students the opportunity to achieve excellence in education." 

• Tom B. Martinez supports a gift in memory of his mother Virginia B. Martinez.  Virginia was a Hancock student and employee; Tom attended Hancock in 1973 and transferred to Cal Poly where he obtained his bachelor's degree in architecture.

• Hilda Zacarias, noted community activist and entrepreneur, established the Jacob Zacarias Memorial Scholarship to honor the memory of her third child, Jacob.  She entered Hancock when her second child was a toddler and later transferred to Cal Poly to complete her studies in business administration. 

• Don A. Lahr's road to success was paved by his journey at Hancock while working full time and going to school at night.  After Hancock he graduated from Whittier College with a degree in industrial technology.  He owns Lahr Industrial Welding in Santa Maria, and he supports the Lahr Industrial Welding Scholarship. 

• Craig F. Stephens, owner of Santa Maria Tire, worked hard as a student at Hancock and in return he received several scholarships, including a full ride to USC.  Craig established the Santa Maria Tire Scholarship in 1997 to support students in the industrial technology program.

A total of 117 donors from the community awarded scholarships to both returning and transferring students through the Allan Hancock College Foundation scholarship program.

The top scholarship winner was Tanya M. Conley of Santa Maria, who received the prestigious $10,000 Marian Hancock Scholarship.  The scholarship is named for Marian Hancock, the wife of Capt. G. Allan Hancock, for whom the college is named.  During her life, Mrs. Hancock was a staunch supporter of the college and the scholarship program.  She also established the G. Allan Hancock Award, which is presented to the same scholarship recipient at commencement.  Tanya is a 19-year-old student who came to Allan Hancock College from Ernest Righetti High School.  She will transfer this fall to the University of Northern Colorado with a 3.89 GPA majoring in kinesiology.  This year Tanya was captain of Hancock's intercollegiate women's soccer team.  Her goal is to earn a master's degree in physical therapy and to open a practice that includes sports psychology, nutrition, counseling, and massage therapy.  Tanya has received numerous academic and athletic awards including Elks student of the year, Chamber of Commerce youth of the month, and player of the week.  In addition to her full time studies, she works as a student athletic trainer at Allan Hancock College and Saint Joseph High School and volunteers at Marian Hospital.  She also volunteers for various church, academic and community service events.

The Edwin O'Neill Law Enforcement Scholarship in the amount of $10,000 was awarded to Dayna Lee Gregory of Santa Maria, an outstanding administration of justice student.  Dayna has carried a cumulative 3.9 GPA while working part-time in the public safety office at Hancock.  Dayna plans to transfer to Long Beach State University in the fall to pursue a bachelor's of science degree in criminal justice.  Edwin O'Neill was a pioneer in methods of scientific detection in law enforcement in the 1930s and a longtime professor at the University of California, Berkeley.  His endowed bequest under the Allan Hancock College Foundation generates scholarship funding to students committed to a career in investigative law enforcement.

Valley Drugs Scholarship Recipients

Another substantial scholarship is the Valley Drugs Scholarship, established by Buck and Mary Sharp from Lompoc.  These scholarships were awarded to 10 individual students from Lompoc at $1,000 each.  The recipients were Brandin Aguayo, Danielle Ashton, Carlos Baca-Villela, Victoria McCoy, Kristin Miller, Catherine Ortiz, Lynne Tucker, Peggy Van Hook, Susan Worthington and James Wright.

The recipient of the $2,500 Jan Severson Scholarship was Megan Young of Santa Maria.  The scholarship is named in honor of Jan Severson, a former longtime member of the Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees.  Mrs. Severson and her husband John are strong patrons of the arts and longtime supporters of the college's Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA).  The scholarship was created to support a PCPA student transferring to continue his or her studies in theatre, in either the technical arena or in the area of performance.

Additional awards included the AAW scholarship, established by longtime patron Marie Wineman.  Mrs. Wineman passed away last year, but her gift continues and this year it supported 11 students for a total of $7,100.

The Santa Maria Elks #1538 transfer scholarships were awarded to two students in memory of Ernest Righetti Sr.  Each scholarship is $2,000.  The recipients were Jaime Limon and Marra Uva of Santa Maria.  The Elks also awarded eight vocational scholarships at $500 each.  The recipients are Michael Bowden, Steven Brown, Debra Garcia, Jason Holladay, Tim Lee, and Lydia Magdaleno, all from Santa Maria; Ayryan Breeden of Lompoc; and Sudha Uberoi from Buellton.

The Bartleson Family Trust Scholarship continues its generosity through its endowment. Five scholarships at varying levels were awarded for a total of $2,600.

The Dorothy and Mark J. Smith scholarship was awarded for the fourth year to two transferring students.  The income earned from the Smith's endowment funded a $3,000 scholarship to Heather McCummins of Lompoc and a $2,500 scholarship to Amy Mulcahy of Santa Maria.

Lea C. Pearson Music Scholarship recipient Yukari Ohonara 
pictured with Mr. Howard Pearson.

The Lea C. Pearson Music Scholarship provided a $2,700 award to Yukari Onohara of Santa Maria.

The William C. Adam Scholarship, a generous endowment, provided 96 students with scholarships ranging in various amounts up to $1,200.  In all, the Adam Scholarship awarded over $46,000 this year.
The following additional new scholarships were established this year:
* Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Eta Lambda Chapter                      Scholarship -                                                             1 @$500.00

* Donald & Joan Semelsberger Scholarships - 2 @ $1,000.00

* Friends of Allan Hancock College Scholarships, 
     Lee & Laura Lutz -                                                     2 @ $400.00 

 Inspirational Award Scholarship - 
Carol Anders and The Valley Foundation - 1 @ $500.00

* Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates Scholarship - 1 @ $500.00

* Martin Marietta Retirement Club Scholarship - 1 @ $500.00

* Mary Alice Kingsbury Memorial Scholarship - 1 @ $1,000.00

* Nadine Crosby Memorial Scholarships - 2 @ $500.00

* Orange County Wine Society, Inc. Scholarships - 2 @ $1,000.00

* Patrick Malloch Grennan Scholarship - 1 @ $500.00

* The Valley Foundation Scholarships - 3 @ $1,000.00