The administrator
in charge of
allocating over $1
million in scholarship
is now retiring.
On June 30,
Central Oregon
Community College
Foundation
Executive Director
Jim Weaver
will be retiring
after 13 years at
COCC.
“Through Weaver’s leadership, the Foundation
has flourished,” said Matt McCoy, vice
president of administration at COCC.
Since 2002, Weaver has directed COCC’s
60-year-old external scholarship foundation and
helped to significantly grow the foundation’s
awards and assets. During his first year as director,
the foundation awarded $300,000 in scholarships,
reported MyCentralOregon.com. This
past year, the foundation awarded more $1 million
in scholarships to nearly 300 students.
“Over that same period, the Foundation’s assets
have grown from $4 million to $19 million
and dollars from the annual scholarship campaign
have increased 230 percent,” reported
MyCentralOregon.com.
“During Jim’s tenure as Executive Director
he successfully led a capital campaign to help
build the Cascades Culinary Institute and during
his time more than 5,000 students have received
scholarships from the COCC Foundation,” said
McCoy. “His involvement has meant a positive
change in so many students’ life and an overall
betterment of the Foundation, College and community.
He will be missed.”
According to McCoy, Weaver often quotes
Mahatma Gahndi in his famous quote “be the
change you wish to see in the world.”
“Jim has done just that: living and, in many
ways, leading the change that he envisioned for
our students, college and community,” McCoy
said.
Weaver believes the continued success of the
COCC Foundation and the scholarships provided
are due largely to the generosity of the Central
Oregon community.
“Central Oregonians are genuinely caring
people, and I have seen it in the giving to the
COCC Foundation, especially through scholarship
giving,” said Weaver. “There is so much
grit, determination, heroism and need in our
students and it is magical the way these scholarships
change lives forever. As one recipient said,
‘Education was the one door I could not open on
my own.”
However, even as Weaver completes his tenure,
he is still trying to raise awareness of the
foundation’s continued needs: “Although 300
scholarships are awarded this year, there were
still 600 applicants whom we were not able to
award,” said Weaver.
COCC has yet to name Weaver’s replacement.

Kelli Pangle | The Broadside
(Contact: [email protected])