Carlsbad Rotary Foundation
In an era when student debt dominates the headlines and college costs create overwhelming barriers for our young people, one Carlsbad organization has been quietly proving that strategic local investment can change everything.
The Carlsbad Rotary Foundation's approach is refreshingly straightforward – identify deserving students in their own backyard, remove barriers for high-potential students, and invest in the people who will become tomorrow's nurses, technicians, and community leaders.
For decades, the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation has lifted up deserving students, and now MiraCosta College is lifting up the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation for its role in changing lives in our community.
The Carlsbad Rotary Foundation is this year’s recipient of the MiraCosta College Philanthropist of the Year, a fitting honor for an organization that's been making education accessible for nearly five decades.
The foundation's early days tell a story of grassroots determination. In 1980, a Carlsbad Rotary Club member named Bill Smith gifted $20,000 to start the foundation. The goal was to have an entity that could support important causes in the community. Over time, that amount grew and grew. From garage sales to $25 member donations, the foundation started to build up its endowment and would use the earnings each year to fund scholarships to deserving students.
What started as humble beginnings quickly became a major philanthropic resource in the community. In total, the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation has donated more than $400,000 and is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community.
What sets the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation apart is its approach to identifying scholarship recipients. Rather than focusing solely on academic achievement, the foundation removed its GPA requirement to reach students who demonstrate character and determination despite facing challenges.
Bruce Bandemer, the Foundation’s Chair and longtime Carlsbad Rotary Member and President, shares a personal example that has shaped this philosophy. One year, a student from his son's elementary class who was raised by immigrant parents was applying for college. For years, he had taken over the apartment lease because his parents moved back to Mexico and he was working multiple jobs just to cover everyday expenses. And while he may not have had the GPA of a valedictorian, his work ethic and will to succeed was clear.
As Bruce explained, “You can’t compare his GPA with others because he has already faced more adversity than most of his peers. That’s why it’s so important for us to look beyond any one figure and work to find those students who show true potential.”
Each year, the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation works hand-in-hand with the teachers at local Carlsbad high schools to identify the diamonds in the rough. They want to find those students who are the future leaders in the community, and those who just need a little extra support in order to achieve their dreams.
As Craig Lindholm, one of the early leaders of the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation, shared, “We're looking for well-rounded students who will help fill critical community needs, not necessarily just those with the highest GPAs or most extracurricular activities. Those are the types of students who we think will make our region stronger in the coming years.”
What’s even more, the foundation has developed deep partnerships with each and every educational institution in the region.
Many of the Rotary Club’s members have served on the MiraCosta College board and because the school is right in the foundation’s own backyard, many of the annual scholarship recipients start their higher education journey right on campus at MiraCosta College.
Just as MiraCosta College develops programs that mirror the evolving economy in San Diego, the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation centers its grants on key fields that are underrepresented and under-supported.
The investment strategy reflects this community-focused approach. Beyond traditional academic paths, the foundation has increasingly supported MiraCosta College's technical programs, including the Technology Career Institute, drone technology, engineering tech programs, and other vocational training for students so that they can directly support local business needs.
For both Bandemer and Lindholm, the foundation represents more than charitable giving – it's about building community resilience through education. Lindholm has lived in Carlsbad for 40 years and sees MiraCosta College one of the best values a student can find.
“MiraCosta College provides flexible, high-quality education responsive to both student needs and business community demands,” shared Craig. “It’s one of the best community assets we have and we’re proud to support that work.”
Continued Bruce, “It's easy to support because it's about giving everybody an opportunity to better themselves. We're investing in kids locally, and it's something we can feel good about.”
The foundation's approach has created a cycle of giving back. Former scholarship recipients often return to volunteer with the foundation or pursue leadership roles in the community, including positions in local government and business.
As the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation accepts MiraCosta College's Philanthropist of the Year award, it continues a five-decade tradition of believing that strategic investment in education, particularly community college education, creates stronger communities for everyone.
“Whatever student success means to each individual, whether that's transferring to a four-year university, earning a certificate, or completing a technical program – that's what we want to support,” Bandemer concluded. “MiraCosta College helps students define and achieve their own version of success, and that's why we choose to give the way we do.”