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Torres donates $100K to NMC Foundation
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Posted on Nov 04 2022
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres donates $100,000 to the Northern Marianas College Foundation on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. The money will be used as scholarships to enhance access to higher education for students in the CNMI. In photo with Torres is NMC president Galvin Deleon Guerrero, Ed.D., NMC Foundation chair Ben Babauta, the NMC Board of Regents, NMC Foundation board members, Associated Students of NMC president Anushi Joshi, ASNMC officers, and NMC faculty and staff. (LEIGH GASES)
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres donated yesterday $100,000 to the Northern Marianas College Foundation, with the money to be used for scholarships that will enhance access to higher education for students in the CNMI.
Torres turned over a ceremonial check to, among others, NMC president Dr. Galvin Deleon Guerrero and NMC Foundation chair Ben Babauta, at the Board of Regents conference room at the NMC campus in As Terlaje.
The governor’s donation was prompted in part by a question raised at an ] Oct. 19 town hall meeting hosted by NMC, when he was asked about his plans for students who may otherwise not be qualified for scholarship funds to be able to get financial assistance.
At the town hall meeting, Torres said he will be giving $100,000 to the NMC Foundation so that the college can help students who are not qualified for other scholarship programs.
At the check presentation yesterday, Torres said, “An educated community is best for all of us, and, by giving opportunity for every student who calls the CNMI home, it only benefits all of us…”
Babauta said that NMC used to have scholarships under the NMC Foundation “and that’s something that we want to revive.”
“This is really truly [remarkable] for our students… We have over 1,300 students now, it’s growing really fast,” he added.
Deleon Guerrero the donation basically completes the Proa Promise. “That promise is 100% met and that’s something that we’re going to work very closely with the Board of Regents and the foundation to fulfill, and it really does fulfill the promise of higher education…”
The “Proa Promise Program” provides NMC students a “last-dollar scholarship,” meaning the program will cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees that are not covered by the Pell grant, other federal financial aid, CNMI Scholarship grants, municipal scholarships (Saipan Higher Education Financial Aid, Tinian Municipal Scholarship, or Rota Municipal Scholarship), military educational benefits, and private scholarships.
