Marquez duo create DSF, invest in student potential
Mikaila Adams
Associate Editor – OGFJ
Timothy Marquez is founder, CEO and chairman of the board of Venoco Inc., a public, Denver-based energy company with a focus on producing property acquisitions in California. His wife, Bernadette (Bernie) manages the Community Partnership Program for the company.
Last year, the company donated roughly $1.4 million to educational, medical, and other charitable organizations in the Santa Barbara, Calif., and Denver areas.
He and his wife have always held the spirit of giving. “We always said we’d share the money we made,” said Tim.
Together they have created the Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Foundation. Bernie currently serves on the Scholarship and Program Committee of the Board and as the Board Treasurer. Two of the mainstay areas in which they participate have always been education and healthcare. Tim comes from a family of educators and Bernie is a nurse by trade. She is currently a member of the Denver Foundation’s Health Committee and is vice chair and president elect of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education.
Lately, the pair has focused the bulk of its efforts on education - particularly the continuing education of students in their Denver community. Their newest venture is the founding of the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF).
The purpose of the foundation is to help students overcome the obstacles to education beyond high school and to graduate from college or vocational school. The barriers to higher education students most commonly face are inadequate academic readiness, a lack of solid support systems, and scarce resources.
To help address these needs, the foundation offers students tools, including Future Centers and DSF scholarships. The Future Centers give students access to a wide array of resources on all aspects of post-secondary success. Flexible scholarships are also available to eligible students earning a certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree at participating Colorado post-secondary schools.
The program began with a somewhat small scope - focusing its efforts on supporting the 2007 graduates of Denver’s three pilot-program high schools – Abraham Lincoln, Montbello, and South.
The ‘pilot’ year ended with great success. DSF awarded over 200 scholarships worth over $300,000, provided 235 laptops to first-semester college students, and helped 330 students secure more than $1.3 million in additional financial aid and grants.
Moving forward, the program has now extended its efforts to include students at all Denver public high schools. The changes include an increase in awards to students who qualify for smaller federal and state grants, providing first dollar funds instead of last dollar funds and adding a fifth year of eligibility for students in state and university baccalaureate programs. The system is now providing qualified students with scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $6,000 based on their college expenses and their family’s ability to contribute.
To continue to grow the program, the foundation is working to establish partnerships with corporations, individuals, and state colleges and universities to secure new funding and matching scholarships. Future plans also include the launch of major annual giving campaigns to garner additional financial support from the community.
The Marquez’s are firm believers in the project and the impact that education can have on many levels. “Communities benefit in many ways when people complete post-secondary education,” Bernie said. “This program demonstrates the power a community can have when we all invest in the potential of our youth,” she continued.
To learn more, visit www.denverscholarship.org.