Scholarship Office

Information 

Art, Design, and Photography scholarships are available to Moorpark College students who submit a portfolio and/or participate in the MC Juried Show. All applicants are required to submit an online application through the Scholarship Manager portal.

If you completed the general application between December and January, please note that you must submit a new application to be considered for the Art, Design, and Photography scholarships.

The deadline for submitting your application is Friday, April 4, 2025, at 11:59 PM.

For additional submission instructions, please refer to the scholarship list below.

Important Note for Photography Scholarships: 

The Jim Sebek Memorial, John Gray Memorial, and Beginning Photography scholarship applications are due by April 4th at 11:59 PM. However, portfolios and artist statements may be submitted separately via email to kjohansson@vcccd.edu by Monday, April 21st at 5:00 PM.

If you plan to submit your portfolio and artist statement via email, please include a placeholder in the online application for both fields:

• Artist Statement Field: Enter "Placeholder, will submit via email."
• Portfolio (PDF Upload) Field: Upload a PDF that says "Placeholder, will submit via email."

Important: Your application will not be considered unless both the online application and the portfolio are submitted. If preferred, you may upload your artist statement and portfolio directly to the online application instead.

MC Juried Show Timeline

Art Osher Scholarship

• Eligibility Criteria:
• Major: Any, but must be taking Art Department classes (incl. Art, Design, Graphic Design, Media Arts, and Photography)
• Minimum GPA: Not required
• Student Status: Must be a Continuing student 
• Enrollment: Full-time or part-time, enrolled in at least 6.0 credits
• Credits: completed a minimum of 24 credits
• Must be a recipient of the California College Promise Grant during the award year
• Award:  Varies – Annual maximum is $1,600 
• How to Apply:  Submit a PDF portfolio showcasing 3-5 of your best works of art. Accepted mediums include drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, graphics, photography, multimedia, and video. This portfolio is specifically for Art Osher Scholarship consideration. Additionally, you must submit the Educational Goals Essay.

Ceramics Scholarship

• About: Open to all Moorpark art students. This scholarship is awarded to students for excellence in clay based works of art. To be considered, students must exhibit at least 3 clay-based works in their display, however, they are not limited to displaying only clay-based artworks.
• Eligibility Criteria:
• Major: Any, but must be taking Ceramics classes
• Minimum GPA: Not required
• Student Status: Must be transferring to a 4-year university in the upcoming academic year   
• Enrollment: Full-time or part-time, enrolled in at least 6.0 credits
• Award: Varies
• How to apply: You must submit the Educational Goals Essay and participate in the MC Juried Show. For this scholarship, you must include at least three clay-based works in your MC Juried Show display.

Frank Sardisco Memorial Art Scholarship

• About: Open to all Moorpark Art students. The scholarship is awarded to students for excellence in the visual arts.  Areas of study include drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, graphics, photography, multimedia, and video. 
• Eligibility Criteria:
• Major: Any, but must be taking Art Department classes (incl. Art, Design, Graphic Design, Media Arts, and Photography) 
• Minimum GPA: No minimum required   
• Student Status: Can either be continuing at Moorpark College or transferring to a 4-year university in the upcoming academic year    
• Enrollment: Either full-time or part-time  
• Credits: No minimum required   
• Award: $500 
• How to apply: Must write the Educational Goals Essay and participate in the MC Juried Show

Joann and Stan Benson Endowed Scholarship

• Eligibility Criteria: 
• Major: Fine Arts (including painting, sculpture, studio arts, life drawing) 
• Minimum GPA: 3.0   
• Student Status: Can either be continuing at Moorpark College or transferring to a 4-year university in the upcoming academic year  
• Enrollment: Part-time  
• Credits: No minimum required
• Award:  $500
• How to apply: You must submit the Educational Goals Essay and participate in the MC Juried Show.

Phyllis Arnold Memorial Scholarship

• About: The Phyllis Arnold Memorial Scholarship celebrates Phyllis Arnold's passion for the arts and aims to support students excelling in various visual arts disciplines. Eligible areas of study include drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, graphics, photography, multimedia, and video. Applicants will be evaluated based on the quality of their artwork and the professionalism of their presentation to the judging panel.
• Eligibility Criteria:
• Major: Any, but must be taking Art Department classes (incl. Art, Design, Graphic Design, Media Arts, and Photography)  
• Minimum GPA: No minimum required
• Student Status: Can either be continuing at Moorpark College or transferring to a 4-year university in the upcoming academic year  
• Enrollment: Full-time
• Credits: No minimum required 
• Award: Varies
• How to apply: You must submit the Educational Goals Essay and participate in the MC Juried Show.

John Gray - Photography Scholarship

• Eligibility Criteria:
• Major: Any, Currently or previously enrolled in an MC photography class within the last academic year.
• Minimum GPA: No minimum required
• Student Status: Can either be continuing at Moorpark College or transferring to a 4-year university in the upcoming academic year  
• Enrollment: Either full-time or part-time  
• Credits: Currently or previously enrolled in an MC photography class within the last academic year.
• Award: Varies
• How to Apply: Submit a photography portfolio, along with an Artist Statement and Educational Goals Essay.

Beginning Photography Scholarship

• Eligibility Criteria:
• Major: Any, Currently or previously enrolled in MC Beginning Photography within the last academic year.
• Minimum GPA: No minimum required
• Student Status: Can either be continuing at Moorpark College or transferring to a 4-year university in the upcoming academic year  
• Enrollment: Either full-time or part-time  
• Credits: Currently or previously enrolled in MC Beginning Photography within the last academic year.
• Award: Varies
• How to Apply: Submit a photography portfolio, along with an Artist Statement and Educational Goals Essay.

Jim Sebek Memorial Photography Scholarship

• Eligibility Criteria: 
• Major: Any, Currently or previously enrolled in an MC photography class within the last academic year.
• Minimum GPA: No minimum required 
• Student Status: Must be transferring to a 4-year university in the upcoming academic year   
• Enrollment: Either full-time or part-time 
• Credits: Currently or previously enrolled in an MC photography class within the last academic year.
• Award: Varies
• How to Apply: Submit a photography portfolio, along with an Artist Statement and Educational Goals Essay.

How to get your current unofficial transcript:

1. Log in to your MyVCCCD portal. 
2. Navigate to "Student Records" in the menu and select "Unofficial Academic Transcript." 
3. Your unofficial transcript will open in a new webpage. 
4. On the webpage, click the printer icon on the right-hand side, as if you were going to print it. 
5. Instead of printing, select "Save as PDF" and download the file. 
6. Upload the downloaded PDF of your unofficial transcript to your scholarship application. 
7. Remember: Your transcript should include finalized grades for Fall 2024.

Essay Prompt 

• Educational Goals Essay Prompt: 
  • Explain the relationship between your academic pursuits and career ambitions. What have you already accomplished, and what do you envision for your future? 
• Draft your essay in a separate document 
  • It’s recommended to write your essay first in a separate document, then copy and paste the text into the application fields. 
  • Remember: You can save your application progress and return to it later, so take your time. 
• Need help? 
  • If you’d like assistance with your essay, contact the Moorpark College Writing Center to schedule an appointment with a writing coach. 

• I cannot access the link or do not know where to apply
  • Apply online via the Scholarship Manager portal 
  • Use your MyVCCCD single-sign on 
• Who can apply for Moorpark College Foundation Scholarships?  
  • Moorpark College students whose primary campus is Moorpark College. 
  • You MUST have a student ID number (900#) as an admitted student. 
• How is this different from the December-January application? 
  • If you completed the general application between December and January, please note that you must submit a new application to be considered for the Art, Design, and Photography scholarships.
• If my primary campus is Oxnard College or Ventura College, can I still apply?  
  • The Moorpark College Foundation prioritizes students whose primary campus is Moorpark College. These scholarships are for Moorpark College students. 
  • OC and VC students are encouraged to apply for scholarships at the Oxnard College Foundation and Ventura College Foundation.
• Can I return to my scholarship application after I have started it?  
  • Yes, you can save your application progress and return to it. You must complete and submit your application before the deadline.
  • It is highly recommended to do your essays in a separate document and copy/paste it into the essay fields on the application rather than writing inside the application itself.
• How do I submit portfolios? 
  • Art Osher Scholarship has its own portfolio submission. Portfolios submitted to this section of the application will not be considered for any other scholarships. Upload it to your application as a PDF following the guidelines. 
  • Photography scholarships require only one portfolio. Upload it to your application as a PDF following the guidelines. 
• How do I submit physical art pieces for the MC Juried Show in the gallery? 
  • Email Gerry Zucca, Art Department Chair, regarding your gallery pieces for the MC Juried Show at gzucca@vcccd.edu
• I am not sure how to answer one of the prompts or have questions about the application. Who do I talk to?
  • Cristy Rodriguez Rivas, Scholarship Technician. You can reach Cristy at mcscholar@vcccd.edu  

The Moorpark College Foundation scholarships are made possible by the generosity of Moorpark College faculty and staff, private citizens, and community donors. Scholarships recognize students for academic achievement, financial need, field of study, community service, campus activities, and outside interests.  

Moorpark College students can apply for scholarships through the Moorpark College Foundation Spring 2025 Application. We offer over 100 different scholarships, which you can explore online via our Scholarship Manager website.  

To apply, students complete a single application. An algorithm then matches applicants with scholarships they are eligible for. 

After the application deadline, scholarship review committees evaluate the matched candidates based on each scholarship's criteria and select awardees. 

Selected students will be notified via email about their scholarship award. To maintain eligibility, awardees must continue meeting the scholarship requirements. The funds will be applied to the Fall 2025 semester. Continuing students must be enrolled for the upcoming academic year, while transferring students must be admitted to their new university and have a University ID number from their transfer institution

• Application Opens: December 1, 2024, at 12:00 AM 
• Application Closes: January 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM 
• Review Period: February-March 2025 
• Award Notifications: April 2025 (via email) 
• Scholarship Award Ceremony: Late April 2025 (Scholarship awardees and donors are invited to attend) 
• Fund Availability: Scholarship funds will be accessible after the Spring 2025 semester, to support enrollment for the Fall 2025 semester 

To ensure your application receives full consideration be sure to do the following: 

• Answer every question on the application questionnaire. If possible, do not leave blank answers.  
• Get your current unofficial transcript.  
  • Log in to your MyVCCCD portal. 
  • Navigate to "Student Records" in the menu and select "Unofficial Academic Transcript." 
  • Your unofficial transcript will open in a new webpage. 
  • On the webpage, click the printer icon on the right-hand side, as if you were going to print it. 
  • Instead of printing, select "Save as PDF" and download the file. 
  • Upload the downloaded PDF of your unofficial transcript to your scholarship application. 
  • Remember: Your transcript should include finalized grades for Fall 2024. 
• Get contact information from your recommender(s) 
  • Your recommender can be a faculty member, counselor, administrator, employee, or co-worker. It's a good idea to ask them ahead of time. 
  • Obtain your recommender’s email address.  
  • After you submit your application, your recommender(s) will receive an email with a link to submit their recommendation for you. They can either complete a short form or upload a letter of recommendation. 
  • Deadline: Your recommender(s) must submit their recommendation no later than Wednesday, February 5th, 2025
• Prepare your essays 
  • It’s recommended to write your essays first in a separate document, then copy and paste the text into the application fields. 
  • Remember: You can save your application progress and return to it later, so take your time completing the essays. 

Draft your essays in a separate document 

• It’s recommended to write your essays first in a separate document, then copy and paste the text into the application fields. 
• Remember: You can save your application progress and return to it later, so take your time completing the essays. 

Need help? 

• If you’d like assistance with your essays, contact the Moorpark College Writing Center to schedule an appointment with a writing coach. 

Mandatory General Essays 

There are five mandatory general essays, each with a maximum of 300 words. All applicants must complete these short essays in order to submit their application.

The prompts are: 

1. Educational Goals: Explain the relationship between your academic pursuits and career ambitions. What have you already accomplished, and what do you envision for your future? 
2. Campus Activities: Describe your involvement in campus life and its impact on your overall experience. What has it meant to you? 
3. Community Service: Describe your experience with community service. How has this involvement shaped your personal or professional aspirations? 
4. Financial Need: Tell us about a financial challenge you've faced during your education and how it has influenced your approach to your studies. 
5. Scholarship Impact: How would receiving this scholarship affect your educational journey? Please share your thoughts. 

Optional/Special Essays 

There are also optional special essays on the application to be considered for specific awards. Most of these scholarships have a 350-word minimum and a 600-word maximum. 

For a full list of eligibility requirements, please visit the list of scholarships offered on Scholarship Manager

• Brian Wolverton Anthropology Scholarship: State how you intend to use your knowledge of anthropology and/or archaeology to improve the lives of other people.  This essay should contain information about how you first became interested in anthropology.   Also, tell us how prior anthropology classes at Moorpark College have affected your thinking and how you intend to continue your studies.  Give examples of where you have used your anthropological knowledge to understand some aspect of your life and/or to improve the lives of others. This essay has a 600 word minimum and 1,200 word maximum

• Clean Power Alliance Voyager Scholarship: How are you active in environmental sustainability? 

• Psychology Department Scholarship: Describe how your experience with campus activities or community service relates to the field of Psychology. Psychology majors only. 

• ASMC Earn & Learn Scholarship
  • ASMC Scholarships are awarded as part of the organization's mission to support and empower fellow students. To ensure fairness and impartiality in the review process, all applications are evaluated anonymously. Do not include your name or any identifying information in the essays or resumes.
  • Provide an original response to each of the following prompts:
    • What motivated you to pursue work alongside your studies, and how has it influenced your academic or career goals?
    • Describe a typical day balancing work and school. What strategies do you use to manage your time?
    • How would receiving the Earn & Learn Scholarship contribute to your success?
• ASMC Global Opportunities Scholarship:
  • ASMC Scholarships are awarded as part of the organization's mission to support and empower fellow students. To ensure fairness and impartiality in the review process, all applications are evaluated anonymously. Do not include your name or any identifying information in the essay.
  • To be considered, applicants must provide an original response to 2 out of 3 of the following prompts: 
    • Describe a challenge you've faced as an undocumented, refugee, or international student. How has it impacted your educational journey?
    • How did your experiences (indirect or direct) growing up influence the student you are today?
    • Describe a person, class, or program at Moorpark College that has had a significant impact on you.
• Bruce Garber Legacy Scholarship: Describe how you uphold the values championed by Bruce Garber—intellectualism, human rights, social justice, civility, environmentalism, and respect for all life—in your educational journey. How do you plan to continue embodying these values in your personal and academic pursuits?
• George Floyd Memorial Scholarship: In what significant ways have you contributed to the uplift of the Black community or worked to improve race relations between Black and other ethnic groups?
• John and Daniel Sherwood Memorial Scholarship: Write a creative response describing a real or fictional travel story
• LGBTQIA+ Scholarship: Tell us about your relationship to the LGBTQIA+ community. Describe activities and/or education (formal or informal) that demonstrates your advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community.
• Multicultural Day Scholarship: In what ways have you promoted understanding among racial and ethnic groups?

Other Writing Prompts:

• Norman F. Garrow Jr. Creative Writing Scholarship: Submit an original work of creative writing. The writing can be fiction, poetry, or prose.
• Producer’s Choice Award: Submit an original 10-15 page script. FTMA majors only. 

• I cannot access the link or do not know where to apply
  • Apply online via the Scholarship Manager portal 
• Who can apply for Moorpark College Foundation Scholarships?  
  • Moorpark College students whose primary campus is Moorpark College. 
  • You MUST have a student ID number (900#) as an admitted student. 
• If my primary campus is Oxnard College or Ventura College, can I still apply?  
  • The Moorpark College Foundation prioritizes students whose primary campus is Moorpark College. 
  • OC and VC students are encouraged to apply for scholarships at the Oxnard College Foundation and Ventura College Foundation.
• Are there opportunities for International students?
  • Yes! International Students are encouraged to apply. 
• Can I return to my scholarship application after I have started it?  
  • Yes, you can save your application progress and return to it. You must complete and submit your application before the deadline.
  • It is highly recommended to do your essays in a separate document and copy/paste it into the essay fields on the application rather than writing inside the application itself.
• Will there be an extension on the due date?  
  • No, there will not be an additional extension on the due date. Applications are due January 31, 2025.
  • Recommenders must get their recommendation in by February 5, 2025
• How do my references/recommenders submit a recommendation?
  • Applicants must provide the name and email address of at least one reference to complete the application. You may have up to three references.
  • Each reference will receive an automated email from our system containing a link and a PIN to submit their recommendation.
  • When a recommender clicks the link, they will enter the PIN and complete a short survey about your qualifications.
  • Recommenders may also choose to upload a letter of recommendation, though this is optional.
  • Once a recommendation is submitted, it will be automatically attached to your application.
  • Recommendations are due no later than February 5, 2025
• I am not sure how to answer one of the prompts or have questions about the application. Who do I talk to?  
  • Cristy Rodriguez Rivas, Scholarship Technician. You can reach Cristy at mcscholar@vcccd.edu  

There are so many scholarship opportunities out there!

In addition to our internal scholarship program, you can explore our Other Scholarship Opportunities page for scholarships that are not funded by the Moorpark College Foundation and scholarship search databases.