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“It’s been really difficult trying to pay for all my class supplies like books and all the school supplies I need,” engineering major Robert Contreras said.

“I didn’t receive as much financial aid as I hoped I would, so I wasn’t able to get all the classes I wanted. Without enough financial aid, I can’t afford all the textbooks and lab fees I need.”

Help is on the way, however, as a fund raising campaign that took place over the past three years has resulted in a $67.7 million scholarship fund focused on helping the those who need help.

An all too familiar scenario, many college students have had to face an increasing tuition price tag with a decreasing amount in financial aid.

A sign of the troubled economy, students have had to buckle down in these hard times and are being let down by the amount of financial aid they receive.

Statewide budget deficits are to blame, as the UC and CSU systems have also suffered along with the community colleges of California, leading to the reductions of many class courses, causing many students to miss out on the classes they wanted.

Students who don’t qualify for financial aid have also felt the effects of the budget cuts as the rising costs of tuition, books, and lab fees have also taken a toll on them.

Computer Science major Albert Saucedo said, “It seems really unfair to me. Paying for my tuition out of my own pocket is hard enough, especially now since they raised the prices of classes this semester.

Students without any financial aid should have to pay less, I feel like we’re also carrying part the load for the students that need financial aid. Hopefully the economy recuperates soon so they can lower class tuition, that would be very helpful to many students like me.”

The cost of classes has been raised from $26 to $36 per unit across all community colleges in the state this semester as an effort to deal with cuts to the educational system.

The Bernard Osher Foundation was responsible for most of the scholarship’s funding as it originally donated $25 million and pledged to match half of the amount that California’s community colleges could raise on their own.

Since 2008, all of the state’s 112 colleges were able to raise $28.5 million resulting in an additional $14.2 million from the Bernard Osher Foundation.

According to officials, the completed fund is the largest of any community college’s system in the nation. 4,000 students are expected to receive the Osher Scholarship annually from the fund.

The scholarship foundation has been up and running for the last three years at Cerritos and has been managed by the Cerritos College Fund.

There are a few requirements to be eligible for the Osher Scholarship. First, a student must be currently enrolled in a minimum of six unit at Cerritos College. Second, the student must have already completed a minimum of 24 degree applicable units.

Lastly, the student must have also received a CCC Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver. Qualifying applicants will then receive $1,000 for textbooks, lab fees, and other expenses

Rachel Samarin of Scholarship Relations at Cerritos has said that a total of 16 students this year will receive the Osher Scholarship. Although the scholarship promises $1,000 to the recipient, the amount is divided by the fall and spring semester, with each student receiving $500 for each semester for their expenses.

If you are interested in applying for the Osher Scholarship, the deadline to apply will be on Sept. 2.

The additional aid that the Osher Scholarship will bring to qualified students will continue to allow students to continue their education and take it further.

English major Nicholas Torres said, “Even though I don’t qualify for the Osher Scholarship, I like knowing that there is more help out there for students that are really struggling.” “This will be my first year at Cerritos and it’s nice to know that once I get enough units, I’ll be eligible for the Osher Scholarship.”

“I think it’s a pretty good set up, this way not everyone that wants money will get the scholarship. having 24 units completed is a goal for me and motivates me to get the scholarship and also rewards for the students that work hard and are able to complete the units.”