February 28, 2005
Seaside Company Scholarship focuses on local
students
By Louise Donahue
As owner and operator of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Cocoanut
Grove, and other landmark properties, the Santa Cruz Seaside
Company's local roots run deep. So when the company decided
to endow a scholarship at UCSC, it was only natural to focus
on local students.
"Many of our employees are graduates of local high schools
and many went on to study at Cabrillo College and UCSC,"
said Charles Canfield, president of the Seaside Company. "As
a graduate of Santa Cruz High School myself, I believe it is
vitally important to give something back and help out local
students who are trying to improve their lives through higher
education."
The new Santa Cruz Seaside Company Scholarship will give preference
each year to a UCSC student who has graduated from Cabrillo
College and who is also a graduate of a Santa Cruz County high
school. Established with a $50,000 gift, the award will provide
a $2,000 scholarship and will be based on financial need. The
scholarship amount will increase as the fund continues to grow.
Locally owned and operated, the Seaside Company employs approximately
1,600 people during the summer season and is the second largest
private-sector employer in the city behind Plantronics.
"My family has been living and working in Santa Cruz for
generations and the Canfield family has been involved with the
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk since the 1930s," said Canfield.
"I've been working here since I was 16 years old."
The company already provides $500 college scholarships to 12
company employeesat various institutionseach year
and contributes to many charitable groups, including the Boys
and Girls Club of Santa Cruz, United Way, Cultural Council,
and Omega Nu's Ducky Derby.
"To be able to create a scholarship for local students
studying at UCSC is something I'm very proud of," Canfield
said. "I'm very fortunate to have received a great education
at local public schools as well as the University of Oregon.
I want to help ensure that future generations of local students
are able to pursue their dreams through education."
In addition to the Beach Boardwalk and Cocoanut Grove, the
Seaside Company owns the Boardwalk Bowl, Sea & Sand Inn,
Carousel Motel, and various residential/commercial properties
in the City of Santa Cruz.
The Santa Cruz Seaside Company Scholarship will help
UC Santa Cruz ensure that our local students who have financial
need are able to achieve their educational dreams, said
Ronaldo Ramírez, director of development for Student
Affairs at UCSC.
By providing tomorrow's leaders with the assistance they
need to pursue the education they deserve, this scholarship
will continue to pay off for years to come, he added.
To learn more about the Seaside scholarship or to establish
other need-based scholarships at UCSC, please contact Ronaldo
Ramírez at (831) 459-3801 or e-mail affirm@ucsc.edu.
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