The College of the Canyons First-Year Promise (FYP) program, which offers full-time freshman students waived tuition and fees during their first year of study, has received a $24,000 donation from Scorpion, a Valencia-based internet design and marketing firm.

This two-year commitment, designated as the Scorpion Scholars contribution, will financially support 24 FYP students with a $1,000 scholarship.

“We are incredibly grateful for Scorpion’s donation toward the First-Year Promise program,” said Murray Wood, chief development officer for the COC Foundation. “Their generous donation will make all the difference to 24 students as they work hard to reach their academic goals at College of the Canyons.”

Scorpion presented a check at the foundation board of directors meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28. In addition to this donation, Scorpion also recently joined the foundation’s Chancellor’s Circle support group.

“It is our honor to support an institution in our local community that has played such an important role in many of our employees’ lives,” said Rustin Kretz, Scorpion CEO. “Our donation toward the First-Year Promise program will give more local students the opportunity to attend COC and pursue their educational and career goals.”

Aside from receiving free tuition, students enroll in a one-year sequence of courses with priority registration, preceded by summer orientation to learn about majors and receive academic guidance. Courses are offered with the benefits of Open Educational Resources (OER) textbooks and other learning community elements.

Participating students also benefit from ongoing counseling and student support to help them reach their academic goals. In addition, each student receives a $100 voucher per semester that can be applied toward other supplies and instructional materials.

To ensure the continued success of the program, which launched last fall, the COC Foundation has committed to raising $500,000 over the next two years.