The Power of Expanding Access
Saidu Yillah, a PCC student-athlete and scholarship recipient, and Rowena Paz Norman, an alum and PCC instructor, exemplify how PCC Foundation scholarships unlock transformative educational experiences.
Saidu Yillah
“Now I want to set a good example for my younger siblings, to teach them to be good human beings, just like my grandma taught me.”
Saidu Yillah is a first-generation student from Sierra Leone studying business at PCC with support from Oregon Promise, a state program that helps cover community college tuition, and PCC Foundation scholarships. A member of the men’s soccer team, he plans to transfer to Oregon State University to study business and sports management.
Soccer has always been my anchor. My dad first introduced me to the game when I was little, and though I didn’t like it at first, I quickly fell in love.
Today, I play on the PCC men’s soccer team. Soccer keeps me grounded and I feel more connected to my dad when we talk about our love of the game.
It’s also what led me to PCC, where I could keep playing while pursuing my education. I started in September 2024, studying business, and so far, so good — I’m having fun!
Getting here, though, wasn’t easy. I moved to the U.S. from Sierra Leone at 16, after my grandma — the woman who raised me — passed away and the political situation became dangerous. My uncle and I made the journey through several countries, from Panama to Mexico, staying in shelters along the way. I even taught myself Spanish to help make friends.
I wasn’t always on the right path. When I was a kid, I fought a lot and got into trouble. But I’ve turned my life around.
As a first-generation college student, college didn’t always feel accessible. I came to the U.S. with very little, and without scholarships, I likely would have had to put college on hold. That’s why I’m so grateful for my scholarships. They’ve lifted a huge burden and made it possible for me to focus on school, soccer, and building a future I once thought might be out of reach. I want donors to know I am determined to succeed and their investment won’t go to waste.
Rowena Paz Norman
“As an adjunct instructor, I see the determination in my students’ faces every week: some taking their first business class, some the first in their families to go to college.”
Rowena Paz Norman is a PCC alum, former Foundation trustee, PCC business instructor, and strategy consultant at Propeller. She has supported the PCC Foundation since 2019 and, together with her husband, Luke, is a member of the Amo DeBernardis Legacy Society.
My own PCC journey started because numbers scared me — failing algebra in high school will do that to you. Despite a successful career at Google and Feeding America, I knew my financial skills were lacking. So I nervously enrolled in accounting classes, biking to evening classes after full work days, dreading spreadsheets and balance sheets.
Accounting 211 and instructor Lisa Whedon changed my life. Beyond teaching me debits and credits, Lisa helped me realize I was capable of so much more. Her encouragement inspired me to earn my Master of Business Administration and launch a new career in strategic planning, first at Tillamook and now as a strategy consultant at Propeller.
Lisa also gave me a challenge: “Pass it forward, and be the inspiration for another to reach beyond their dreams.”
Now I’m doing exactly that. I served on the PCC Foundation board, where we provided $2.5 million in scholarships to students, 64% of whom face food insecurity. My husband and I also donate to the PCC Foundation because financial obstacles shouldn’t determine who gets to learn. And I’m back in the classroom at PCC, but now as an instructor teaching Business 101, making concepts relatable (Taylor Swift tickets as supply and demand!) and investing in my students just like Instructor Whedon invested in me.
They’re juggling multiple jobs, classes, and childcare, but what impresses me most is their resilience and grit to keep showing up for their education. They remind me exactly why expanding access to education matters so much. And every semester, I watch new students discover what’s possible — just like I did in Accounting 211.
Scholarships expand access
In 2024-25, PCC Foundation supporters provided scholarships, encouragement, and opportunity, allowing students to pursue their dreams and move forward with confidence.
1,557
PCC students received scholarships
$1,607
Average scholarship award to support a student’s educational journey
66%
Percentage of scholarship recipients who are first-generation college students
1:3
Every year, the PCC Foundation receives three times more applications for scholarships than the available funds can cover
See more stories in the PCC Foundation 2024-25 Giving Report