For Dene Hurlbert and his late wife, Emily, education has always represented possibility.
Together, they believed that everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a brighter future, regardless of financial circumstances. Today, through the Emily & Dene Hurlbert Trust, Dene is carrying that shared belief forward in a deeply meaningful way.
The newly established People’s Self Help Housing Scholarship Fund will support students living in People’s Self Help Housing communities and participating in its education programs as they pursue college, vocational training, or return to the workforce.
But Dene’s vision goes beyond helping a student pay for one year of school. It is about helping them finish.
Supporting Students for the Journey, Not Just the First Step
For students facing financial barriers, getting accepted into college or a training program is only the beginning. Tuition, books, transportation, housing, and everyday expenses can make staying enrolled increasingly difficult.
That is why this scholarship was intentionally designed to provide multi year support.
Instead of asking students to start over each year in search of financial assistance, the fund can provide greater continuity as they progress toward their degree or credential. For first generation college students in particular, that consistency can mean more than financial relief. It can provide the confidence to keep going.
As Itzelt Santos, Senior Education Manager at People’s Self Help Housing, explains:
“For students living in our affordable housing communities, higher education carries significant financial barriers, but thanks to Dene’s support, our students will have the chance to succeed. Scholarships help first generation students stay enrolled, persist toward graduation, and step into their careers with little or no student loan debt. That solid financial foundation opens the door to long term stability and success.”
That is the impact Dene hopes to make possible: not simply access to education, but the opportunity to persist, graduate, and begin the next chapter with a stronger financial foundation.
A Scholarship Built Through Partnership
Dene’s vision also reflects an understanding that financial support alone does not remove every barrier a student may encounter.
The People’s Self Help Housing Scholarship Fund brings together three partners, each contributing something different to help students succeed.
Dene, through the Emily & Dene Hurlbert Trust, is providing the generosity and vision that made the scholarship possible. The Community Foundation will administer the scholarship and steward the fund over time. People’s Self Help Housing, with its longstanding relationships with residents and students, will help identify eligible applicants while providing educational navigation and support throughout their journey.
Together, the partnership creates something more powerful than any one organization could accomplish alone.
Students receive financial assistance, but they also remain connected to people who know them, understand the barriers they face, and want to see them reach the finish line.
An Invitation to Build Something Together
For Dene, establishing the fund is only the beginning.
By making the first investment through the Emily & Dene Hurlbert Trust, he hopes to create something others can build upon. The fund is designed to welcome additional contributions from people who share Emily and Dene’s belief in the power of education.
Every additional gift has the potential to help another student stay enrolled for another semester, complete a credential, graduate with less debt, or take an important step toward a career and greater economic stability.
It is a fitting way to carry forward something Emily and Dene believed in together while opening that vision to an entire community of people who believe in it too.
One scholarship can change the trajectory of a student’s life. Multi year support, trusted guidance, and a community invested in that student’s success can help change what is possible for generations.
