Fund Spotlight: Dr. Grant E. & Colleen S. Bare Scholarship Fund

As the cost of college continues to rise, scholarships are becoming increasingly necessary for students pursuing higher education. Stanislaus Community Foundation (SCF) believes that cost should never be a barrier to students working to achieve their dreams. Dr. Grant E. & Colleen Bare believed the same – not just for their own family, but also for those in Stanislaus County they didn’t even know. This led them to establish the Dr. Grant E. & Colleen S. Bare Scholarship Fund almost 15 years ago.

Dr. Grant E. Bare's medical career spanned more than 50 years. Dr. Bare graduated from Modesto High School, the University of California in Berkeley, and the University of California Medical School in San Francisco. Elected to the founding Board of Trustees of the Yosemite Community College District in 1965, Dr. Bare served on that Board for 35 years. He championed the ideals that college-oriented junior college students should receive the same high-quality education as those attending the first two years at state universities.

Colleen S. Bare was a former education administrator and long-term historian who was well known for her longstanding column in the Modesto Bee on the city’s rich history. Mrs. Bare received her Bachelor's Degree from Stanford University and her Masters from UC Berkeley, before moving back to Modesto to marry Dr. Bare and start their family. When the McHenry Mansion was gifted to the city of Modesto, Mrs. Bare was the Chair of the City's Culture Commission. She took on the momentous task of restoring the grand historical home to its former glory – a labor of love that took seven years and countless hours to complete.

Each year, the Dr. Grant E. & Colleen S. Bare Scholarship Fund provides up to three scholarships of $3,000 each to Modesto Junior College students who plan to study Health Sciences or Mathematics at a four-year university. The fund is their gift to the entire community, much like the couple's work over the years in healthcare and historical preservation. Although Dr. Bare and Colleen have both passed away, their legacy and love for our community lives on through their scholarship fund. Over $100,000 has been awarded to local students since the fund was established in late 2012 – impacting the lives of more than 30 local students.

Alberto C., a past recipient of the Bare Scholarship, shared, “This scholarship makes a resounding difference in my life and education by relieving the financial challenge that comes with pursuing a nursing degree. The support of this scholarship will allow me to focus on my studies and gain the necessary skills, knowledge, and compassion it takes to become an outstanding nurse in the community. This award will also help me pursue my dream of becoming a nurse anesthesiologist, a role that I am extremely passionate about and believe will have a positive impact on patients' care.”

He added, “The Bare’s generosity has not only made a huge impact on my life but also inspired me to give back to my community. I will work hard to create my own scholarship foundation in the future for men in the nursing profession.”

To learn more about opening a scholarship fund at SCF, contact Melissa Van Diepen at mvandiepen@stanislauscf.org or 209.576.1608 x 104.