Dawn Blodgett Memorial Scholarship

What’s in a name?

“Dawn is that magical time in the morning just before the sun hits the horizon-a morning full of possibilities.

Dawn began her life given little to no hope of survival to make it through the night, but she fought hard and made it to the morning hours. Her mother took that hopeful sign of perseverance and named her new daughter after that magical time…Dawn.

Dawn lived her life the same way she did those first hours of her life-one with tenacity, positive-thinking, and a hopeful heart. We celebrate Dawn and all that she brought to our world!"

Dawn was born with cerebral palsy and used a wheelchair to buzz around for most of her life. Her story lets you know that did not slow her down or limit her dreams.

Dawn attended OCC from 1991 to 1995. She was very active on campus including competing on the OCC award winning Speech and Debate Team. Off campus she was the calming voice of a local suicide hot line assisting people through very difficult times with her positive and can-do attitude. She touched the lives of many people, some of whom did not know even who to thank for her efforts on their behalf. In her spare time she became Miss Wheelchair California 1993 and then Miss Wheelchair America 1994. Soon after being crowned Miss Wheelchair America, Dawn toured the country doing motivational speaking at a number of colleges and universities.
In 1995, Dawn was named OCC Disabled Student of the Year.

In her post-OCC life living in the Palm Springs area Dawn was involved in advising newly diagnosed AIDS patients on services and survival as well as acting as an advisor for a local program assisting developmentally disabled adults. She later worked for the Goodwill Industries as a job couch for persons with disabilities. She passed away in December 2010 after a short illness.

Dawn was a powerful combination of fighting spirit and great compassion. She was a wonderful friend and a loving daughter. Her life was about service to others. She is smiling down on us for awarding this scholarship to a deserving student with a disability and a volunteer who helps others.