in recognition of Tim O’Connell’s legacy as a tireless advocate for social justice

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Applications should be submitted electronically.

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Application Renewal Application Certificate of Residence Release of Information

General Information

Scholarship Fund

The Tim O’Connell Scholarship Fund is dedicated to providing higher education and military scholarship opportunities to students originating from Century’s affordable housing developments throughout Southern California. A maximum of $1,000 per calendar year, renewable for up to 5 years with a maximum combined value of $5,000 each, will be awarded to students at public or private universities, accredited trade or vocational schools, or US Military personnel enlisted in the Armed Services.

Eligibility Requirements

Acceptance into an accredited community college, 4-year college/university, technical school (CNA, computer technician, programming, graphic design, etc.), or enlistment in the US Military.
Must either be a current or previous resident at Century Villages at Cabrillo or any other Century-owned community.
Minimum high school GPA of 2.5 required for initial application.
For recurring awards, successful completion of at least half time course load while maintaining a 2.5 GPA for the most recent term completed. As it relates to military service, maintain enlistment and active duty status with branch of military.

Must be under the age of 25.

Income Tax Matters

Scholarships are tax-free if you are a candidate for a degree at a school and only to the extent it is used to pay for (1) tuition and fees required to attend the school or (2) fees, books, supplies, and equipment required of all students in a particular course. It is the responsibility of the recipient or the parents of recipient to maintain sound records of expenses to demonstrate how much of the award was used for qualified expenses. Students and family are responsible for state or federal income taxes which may be due on these funds, if any.

More Information

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and will be reviewed 3 times per year (January, May, and August). Additional inquiries can be sent to email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Application and Process

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and include a short essay. Please note the following:

Give your application the time, attention, and preparation that it deserves. Read and follow the instructions carefully, including eligibility criteria.
Proofread your work. Ask a parent, friend, or teacher to proofread your completed application.
Provide Transcript or Certificate of Successful Completion of Courses, or High School Diploma and Senior year transcript if just graduated from High School, or proof of enlistment in US Military.
Essay should be no more than 2 pages. Be specific and personal to make sure your essay stands out from the rest of the crowd. Be honest and be yourself!
Provide a letter of recommendation from a teacher, family member, or community member.
Provide Certificate of Residence Form.
Make a copy of the application for your files.
Submit entire application package by email to email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Scholarship Review Board

The review board will consist of members of a committee of the Century Housing management team which will review each application submitted. The committee will determine eligibility and final award of scholarship. The review board will review applications three times per year (January, May, and August).

This scholarship review board will choose up to five (5) awardees each academic year in the award amount of up to $1,000 each.

Each eligible awardee is welcome to apply for up to an additional four (4) years. Eligibility criteria established annually by Scholarship Review Board and will include proof of prior year academic record meeting minimum requirements for enrollment and grade point average.

Who was Tim?

The Tim O’Connell Scholarship Fund was established in 2018 to honor the life of Tim O’Connell and to continue his legacy of advocacy and lifelong learning. Tim was a longtime advocate of social justice and committed his life in service to others.

Tim passed away on July 4, 2017. He was our shining light, a great storyteller, and a tireless advocate seeking social justice for the less fortunate. While we mourn his loss, we are so very thankful that we had the opportunity to know and work with him for close to 19 years. Tim’s service at Century began in the spring of 1999, and as Director, Policy and Advocacy, he was responsible for representing the interests of Century, its affiliates, partners and clients at the federal, state and local levels, including matters relating to funding, regulation, and oversight. Tim was Century’s primary liaison with elected representatives, legislative staff, and administrative officials in his on-going effort to assure that affordable housing and related issues received the necessary legislative and financial support. In addition to his service with Century, Tim served on various boards and committees dedicated to increasing the supply of critically needed affordable housing throughout the State of California, including the San Diego Housing Foundation, Housing California, Los Angeles Business Council, California Housing Consortium, the California Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, and LA Family Housing.

Before his arrival at Century, Tim served as Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Housing Commission, the City’s public housing agency. In that position, he provided policy support to the CEO and Board of Commissioners, as well as serving as primary liaison between that agency and the Mayor and City Council. Tim also served Maureen O’Connor during her term as Mayor of the City of San Diego as Director of Program Development for Growth & Development. Tim received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law, attended the Graduate Program in City Planning at San Diego State University, and graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned a bachelor degree in geography and economics. Tim was a longtime advocate of social justice and committed his life in service to others. With his passing, the affordable housing community has lost one of its strongest and most effective voices. Tim had many interests and causes that he supported throughout his life. Two of his favorites were the public library system (where he was one of their most frequent borrowers) and the educational and social needs of underprivileged children.

The Tim O’Connell Scholarship Fund will reward students from low-income families who exhibit hard work and a strong commitment to community engagement and service to others. It is funded through Century Villages at Cabrillo’s 20th Anniversary Gala and individual donations. The Committee, in making scholarships available, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, handicap or national/ethnic origin.

Testimonials

Vincent Lazo

“My name is Vincent Lazo, Aviation Machinist Mate (AD), Airman Apprentice (AA) enlisted in the United States Navy. I am from Long Beach, California, and I am currently stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Over the past year, I’ve completed roughly 17 weeks of training to include boot camp, A-school, and C-school. I’m currently assigned to VFC-12 and work on F-18 “hornets” (not to be confused with “super hornets”). As an AD, my job is to perform maintenance on the engines and fuel related systems of aircraft. However, I am currently assigned to the line shack to become a plane captain and familiarize myself with the aircraft and daily flight schedule. My current responsibilities include completing daily pre-operational checks on equipment and verification of the fuel load of each aircraft. Aside from these responsibilities, I also contribute to roughly 750 safe flight hours while assisting in the completion of over 46 maintenance evolutions for over 199 man-hours.

Outside of the military, I remain vigilant in the community while staying within the boundaries of each sailor’s right to expression. I continue to donate to and educate the community in West Long Beach on the impacts their environment has on them while showing how each individual is responsible for making a difference in the environment.

Unfortunately, I am no longer in Long Beach and have yet to fully experience the environment in Virginia. I do, however, use my camera to show the beautiful surroundings and people in my area to the world via social media.

I thank you all for considering me for this scholarship once again. I wish you all safety and health during this difficult time. —ADAA Vincent Lazo”

Meet the Scholars

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Century Villages at Cabrillo, Inc. is an independent nonprofit entity affiliated with Century Housing Corporation.

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