The Cape Cod Foundation has awarded more than $637,000 in scholarships to 133 students from Cape Cod and the Islands who are beginning or continuing their higher education or pursuing certificate programs.
Earlier this year, its partner, the Cape Cod Association, awarded $440,600 to 323 students. Together, the organizations have exceeded $1 million in scholarship support for the second consecutive year.
“The pandemic has made this an especially challenging year for students,” said Kristin O’Malley, president and CEO of The Cape Cod Foundation. “Most had to adjust to remote learning; many lost critical internship and work opportunities they needed for additional financial support; and some had to defer their higher education plans. This year, we especially needed to ensure there were resources to help these students move forward.”
O’Malley said that, while the application process has been entirely online for several years, the foundation’s scholarship committees had to work entirely remotely for the first time. Almost 200 volunteers spent approximately 1,200 hours reviewing applications and conducting the selection processes in virtual meeting rooms.
Some of this year’s students are pursuing degrees nearby at Cape Cod Community College and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Others have ventured farther from home to study at Boston University, the University of Massachusetts, Brown University, Tulane University, Tufts University, Babson College, Middlebury College, Emmanuel College and Rhode Island School of Design, among others.
They are preparing for careers in business administration, law, engineering, medicine, politics,
social work, environmental sciences, education, technology, and the arts.
The Cape Cod Foundation currently has 87 active funds that award scholarships annually to
students in our region. Anyone interested in creating a fund or donating to an existing fund can
contact Kristin O’Malley at komalley@capecodfoundation.org.
