Black Hawk College Foundation

Give Now

Scholarships Create Possibilities
and Make an Impactful Difference

Every scholarship recipient has their own story,
but they all share a common thread, gratitude.

Scholarships have a profound impact on students, both academically and personally. These financial awards provide students with the opportunity to pursue higher education without the burden of excessive student loans or financial strain. Scholarships not only alleviate the financial barriers to college but also motivate students to strive for academic excellence and achieve their full potential.

The Black Hawk College Foundation administers scholarships for students at the Quad-Cities campus based on a variety of factors, including merit and financial need. Scholarships are designated for various courses of study and additional criteria. Learn more

Student Stories

Belen Sanchez

Black Hawk College Foundation Scholarship, Todd C. Harold Johnson Memorial Scholarship and TRiO CES Scholarship Recipient

"I am a first-generation college student. Going to college is no easy feat. With this scholarship, I can afford to go to school, and I am thankful for attending college without the consequences of a student loan. Thank you for donating and giving me this chance. I will forever be grateful for your donation and look forward to continuing my education this fall."

Christian Manzi

International Student Association Scholarship and The Villas at Black Hawk Scholarship Recipient

“As an international student, far from family, home, and my country, it can be hard sometimes to adapt to the new environment. But with the International Student Association, I met friends and made memories. After a time of loneliness that not only impacted my health but also my education, I was able to find a group to belong to. A group where I could help others with my experience and exchange smiles. This scholarship reminds me that my success as an international student matters, which is encouraging. With this scholarship, I say with gladness that an encumbrance in my success journey is lifted away. Now, I can focus on my studies and engage easily with friends and colleagues in school work and college events.”

Norma Robinson

Dr. Keith Miller Honorary IMPACT Scholarship and Ruth Bruch Memorial Scholarship Recipient

"As a recipient of the scholarship awarded, I plan to dedicate my time and focus to my Black Hawk College studies. It is my top priority to succeed in completing my educational ambitions. I have been working to earn my Associate of Arts degree in the avenues of the arts and music production. I haven't been this excited about my life, and I feel very optimistic. My true passion is the arts."

Andrew Gripp

John R. Cioe Memorial Scholarship Recipient

“My college journey has been a little bit of a crazy one so far, and I want to thank you for your help. Without donors like you, I and many other students nationwide would be in much more difficult situations, so I appreciate the help you have offered. I want to thank you again and make a promise to do well with the QC John R. Cioe Memorial Scholarship!”

Dionna Reed

Lane Evans Memorial Scholarship and Lowell N. Johnson Charitable Foundation Scholarship Recipient

“Black Hawk College seems like home to me. My mother graduated and became a nurse at Black Hawk over 30 years ago, leading to my ultimate passion. Currently, I work as a medical massage therapist and would like to advance my career with more knowledge to help my patients and clients to the fullest.”

Ali Hayder

Karla Miley Endowed Scholarship, Natural Science & Engineering Scholarship and TRiO CES Scholarship Recipient

“My goal is to become a doctor and to accept all kinds of health insurance. Also, I want to practice my career at free clinics to help people who are in need. I want to keep helping others until the last breath of me. Being an immigrant is very hard; as a result, I always think of being something great so everyone around me is proud and happy. I want to thank everyone who spent their time reading my writing and chose me to be one of the awarded people.”

Emma Shoemaker

QC Lowell N. Johnson Charitable Foundation Scholarship Recipient

“I will begin my journey toward a major in Graphic Design at Black Hawk College. I plan to accomplish the basic courses involved with this major at Black Hawk to save money before finishing my education at a four-year university. I have always had a strong desire to enter a career requiring creativity. It excites me to think about creating designs for companies that can tell their story and captivate consumers as they perceive what that story is. Taking classes at Black Hawk is the first step towards this adventure.”

Elian Blanco

QC United Scholarship Recipient

“By awarding me with the QC United scholarship, you have lightened my financial burden, which allows me to focus more on the most important aspect of school: learning. Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community. I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.”

JoLyssa Escobedo

Perlmutter Scholarship Recipient

“I was nervous about returning to school, having taken a gap year after moving from Nebraska to Illinois. The reason for this is that I feared not being able to afford it, not being motivated enough or having terrible social anxiety due to the pandemic. By taking all the steps I needed to ensure financial stability and keep my mental health in check, I decided to go to Black Hawk College, apply for scholarships and motivate myself to finish school! This scholarship will help me in achieving my goals. Thank you!”

Samuel R Maynard

Puffer/Reid Scholarship Recipient

“I’ve had a passion for the arts ever since I was a child, I plan on turning this passion into a career. My ultimate goal is to be a technical director on Broadway. Throughout my career, I want to inspire others to stop at nothing to pursue their dreams. As a recipient of your scholarship, I want you to know how much your investment in my education means to me. Thank you for your generosity.”

Briana Raya

Robert and Blenda Ontiveros Family Foundation Scholarship Recipient

“I am enrolled at Black Hawk College and majoring in Surgical Technology. My passion in this field is to help others. I am a first-generation college student. My parents were not given the opportunity to go to college or have the money to afford it.”

Norman Robinson

Lowell N. Johnson Charitable Foundation Scholarship Recipient

Elizabeth Sanchez

Donald L. Anderson Memorial Scholarship, QC Ruth Bruch Memorial Scholarship, and The Franklin Foundation Scholarship Recipient

"My mom has raised me by herself since we came to the United States. I am working to help my mom with the extra expenses we have. However, I plan to stop working at the fitness center after starting the nursing program to focus on my career. Having the opportunity of getting a scholarship makes me happy not only because it would help me financially but also because it will help me achieve my dream of becoming a nurse."

Payton Brasher

Black Hawk College Foundation Scholarship Recipient

“I am a nontraditional student, returning to the world of higher education after almost 9 years of joining the workforce. I come from a background and community rooted in the struggles of poverty and addiction, so being able to seek college-level instruction is a goal that has been financially untenable for the past many years of my adult life. I have a passion for learning and community, which I strive to build and improve upon daily as an administrator in the Residential Life program for international students at a local high school. This award allows me to return to school to better serve those students in their educational path. My return to higher education would not be possible without your assistance.”

Celine Suarez

Dr. Barbara Shellhouse and Wayne Shellhouse Memorial Scholarship Recipient

"I am not ready for a big university and I need to take care of myself and work on who I want to be as person and as a human being in general. I chose Black Hawk College for its amazing educational environment, especially the Music department."

Alan Hernandez-Valdez

William Butterworth Foundation Scholarship and Robert and Blenda Ontiveros Family Foundation Scholarship Recipient

“This generous scholarship will allow me to further my education in the arts, continue to be enrolled in Black Hawk College, hone my artistic skills, and achieve my goals. Thank you for the great opportunity and for giving me the chance to continue my enrollment at Black Hawk College.”

Kaira DeBoe

Jason Blair Roberts Memorial Scholarship and Robert and Blenda Ontiveros Family Foundation Entering Students Scholarship Recipient

"This scholarship is very important to me due to the fact that I had no college savings. I have always known I wanted a higher education, but I was terrified about the cost and how much debt could accumulate over the years. This scholarship has helped to ease my mind of this worry, and I can't explain how thankful I am."

Cameron Minella

Lowell N. Johnson Charitable Foundation Scholarship Recipient

“As I complete my education at Black Hawk College, I am very thankful for receiving your thoughtful gift. Because of your scholarship, I can focus on my academics, increasing my chances of staying in school and graduating on time. I have struggled throughout my life due to medical illness and whether or not I would be capable of going to college. I am beyond thankful to receive this scholarship and can prove that I will do my best academically.”