The Whatcom Community College Foundation has received a record number of scholarship applications for the 2016-17 school year — 60 percent of WCC students need some kind of assistance to pay for tuition and fees. With this year’s spring scholarship drive, the foundation is hoping to raise $138,000 by the end of May, in order to fund as many scholarships as possible.

Anyone who would like to support the scholarship drive can visit whatcom.edu/foundation or contact WCC Foundation staff at 360.383.3320.

The foundation recently took a leap toward reaching that goal, with a donation from the Kirkland-based philanthropic organization Biella Foundation, which gave $10,000 to all 34 technical and community colleges in Washington.