Long-Time Ventura College Foundation Board Member Eleanor Tilquist Given Board Emeritus Status

Eleanor Tilquist, a Ventura College Foundation board member for over 10 years and who established annual scholarships for Ventura College students, was given Board Emeritus status by the foundation board at its March 17 meeting. Tilquist stepped down from the board earlier this year.
 
“Eleanor is dedicated to seeing that students have every opportunity to succeed,” says Nicole Kreutz, Board Chair. “She is adored by students and the community. We are proud to bestow Eleanor with the Board Emeritus status and look forward to her continued involvement in the foundation.”
 
Before joining the board, Tilquist was already deeply involved in the foundation. In 2005, Tilquist and her husband George established scholarships for Ventura College students interested in pursuing careers in nursing, emergency services and engineering as well as for reentry students. Tilquist later created endowment programs to support the college’s nursing program. Over the years, her scholarships and endowments have helped hundreds of students. In 2023, she created a separate endowment to supply graduation supplies to Ventura College nursing students including graduation pins that many students could not afford.
 
“I’m happy to play a role in helping students’ educational dreams come true,” says Tilquist. “Community colleges give students the unique ability to receive a solid education at an affordable price. With scholarships, they can attend college and go on to four-year universities with little or no debt.”
 
In addition to her role as a Ventura College Foundation board member, Tilquist was a volunteer at the Ventura County Medical Center for 29 years. She is also a past board president and current scholarships chair of the Santa Buenaventura Women's Club.