The Community College Foundation of North Orange County (CCFONOC) was incorporated in 1987 to assist in the achievement and maintenance of superior educational and community programs of the North Orange County Community College District.
CCFONOC is a charitable, not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization under provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as well as a public charity, according to Section 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) of the Internal Revenue Code.
In 2008, the Foundation bylaws were amended to, among other things, include the following expanded purpose statement:
“The primary purpose of this corporation is to assist in the achievement and maintenance of superior educational and community programs of the North Orange County Community College District by receiving contributions from the public, raising funds, and making contributions to educational, community, and legislative programs, and by developing, conducting, and financing programs and projects designed to benefit the educational and community programs of the North Orange County Community College District.”
The bylaw changes also included the addition of campus CEOs as members of the Foundation Board of Directors and a standing committee to administer scholarship opportunities for North Orange Continuing Education students. To date, most transactions of the CCFONOC have involved administering the endowments of two scholarship programs for students at Cypress College and Fullerton College: the Nilane Lee Memorial Scholarship and the Walt Pray Memorial Scholarship.
Ms. Nilane Lee was a member of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees for 14 years. In addition to being an attorney and high school mathematics teacher, she was a strong supporter of women, particularly those pursuing mathematics as an academic major. After her passing in November 1995, her family established the Nilane Lee Memorial Scholarship, to be awarded to female students majoring in mathematics.
Mr. Walt Pray was a long-time employee of the North Orange County Community College District, serving as its first Vice Chancellor when the District was formed in 1966. He began his career in education in 1946 as an American history teacher at Fullerton High School and Fullerton College, and in 1953 was named principal of La Habra High School. In 1960 he became Assistant Superintendent for Personnel at the then joint high school and junior college district. Mr. Pray was active in community affairs and served on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Teachers Federal Credit Union until his death in 1994. The Walt Pray Memorial Scholarship is awarded to students with financial needs that meet the scholarship criteria of the Cypress College and Fullerton College Foundations.