Since 1964, the California Turtle and Tortoise Club (CTTC) has been promoting and facilitating the care and adoption of native and non-native turtle species. The Ridgecrest CTTC Chapter has worked in the local community to advance awareness and familiarize children and adults alike with the natural world around them.

The club recently established a new scholarship at Cerro Coso Community College for students interested in the environmental and biological sciences.

The California Turtle and Tortoise Club scholarship is available to a graduating full-time student attending any of the Cerro Coso campuses, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and must be transferring to a four-year institution majoring in the biological or environmental sciences. Financial need will not be a consideration in the awarding of the scholarship.

Students only need to complete one general application at https://www.cerrocoso.edu/studentservices/financial-aid/scholarship-opportunities and student information is automatically matched with more than 50 scholarship opportunities available through the CCCC Foundation.

The Cerro Coso Community College Foundation (CCCC) awarded more than $140,000 in scholarships to Cerro Coso students over the past two years to ensure financial accessibility to higher education.

“I’m not sure the community realizes the generosity of our neighbors,” said Natalie Dorrell, director of Institutional Advancement at Cerro Coso. “Everyone has a unique story and reason for giving, and the CCCC Foundation invites the community to celebrate education and life-long learning. We are so grateful for our donors like the Ridgecrest Chapter of the California Turtle and Tortoise Club for helping students overcome some of the financial barriers associated with a college education, so they can achieve goals. Every dollar makes a significant difference in the lives of our students, and we couldn’t do it without our amazing donors.”

Established in 1977, the CCCC Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports student and economic growth and vitality of the communities it serves by providing well-educated human resources for local business and industry. More information on the CCCC Foundation is available at http://www.cerrocoso.edu/foundation.