40 40 th• BUCKS COUNTY • COMMUNI T Y COLLEGEFoundation ANNIVERSARY th BUCKS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Foundation Impact Report July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021
It is with great honor and humility that I express my sincerest gratitude for all of the support that the “Friends of Bucks” have provided to our students. This honor is rooted in the countless number of students who have benefitted from your philanthropic commitment to our college. And, my humility is rooted in the awesome oppor tunity I have as President, to honor and thank you on behalf of these students.
During the first two weeks of this academic school year, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with students as I drove them to and from the campus parking lots to their classes. From caring for aging parents, to managing their children’s education over Zoom, to working full-time, all these students felt the sting of the Pandemic but showed great levels of perseverance and resilience in the face of the unsurmountable. One thing that rang true in each student’s story was their appreciation for Bucks County Community College. For some, it was the grace and care that faculty showed them, for some it was the availability of resources they sorely needed, and for others it was the financial assistance they received to help them balance life’s demands with their desire to continue their college journey. It is without a doubt that these students’ appreciation for Bucks would not be possible without your selfless contributions and gifts to our Foundation. Simply put, we would not be able to meet our students where they need us the most, without you. Your continued support of our students and our Foundation allows the institution to stand firm on its mission of providing accessible educational opportunities for our community.
Felicia L. Ganther, J.D., Ph.D.
Thanks from the President
As we celebrate the resilience and perseverance of our students, we also celebrate the great work that our Foundation has done to amplify the needs of our students through philanthropic giving. We lift our glasses and toast to the vibrant energy that the Foundation team has bought to this work during difficult times. We lift our voices in unison to cheer and encourage this continued work. We lift our spirits in jubilation to celebrate our continued partnership in fostering success for our students here at Bucks!
Thank you, again.
Greetings from the Executive Director
When we hear stories that our students are struggling with money to buy groceries or life essentials, then we raise funds so that students have free access to food and resources for help. When we hear that first-generation college students, parenting, or veteran students, have a harder time getting through their courses quickly, then we raise money so that our students have more opportunities and access to funding for their education. When we hear that a student wants to obtain credentials to earn a livable and sustainable wage, and area employers need skilled workers, then we find grant opportunities to subsidize the burden of cost to our students. This is all possible thanks to more than 1,000 donors who contributed this past year. You are part of our Bucks family and, like a family, we are dedicated to helping our students succeed. We know that earning a de gree or credential means a better life for our students, for their families, for our County. Thank you to our supporters, Foundation Board, and team, for cultivating a culture of care.
It is my honor and pleasure to serve as the Foundation’s Executive Director. I believe that education improves lives. That sentiment drives our efforts to raise funds to support the college and our students. Despite the pandemic, working from home at our dining room tables, zooming with our Board members, while our little ones ran wild in the background, we had a record-breaking year. We raised the second most in our nearly 40-year history.
Christina McGinley, CFRE
Plans were already underway for our 2020 Golf Classic when we realized it would not be in the best interest of our supporters to hold the event in per son. Despite the initial disappointment, the Golf Classic Committee scored a hole-in-one with our Blocks for Bucks Golf Pool. The pool, which followed the play of the PGA Championship raised nearly $30,000 for special College Ininitiatives.Spring2021, the Salute to Mothers Scholarship Committee hosted a virtual reali-tea – Miss Stella’s Fantastical Pour-It-Forward Tea! This event, which featured an ever-growing, online tea party, raised over $56,000 for the scholarship fund – a record! The scholarship awards funds to mothers raising one or more children while attending Bucks. As our co-chairs said, the event was make-believe, but the cause was very real! Through it all, our sponsors and supporters had our backs – never wavering on their commitment to the Foundation, the College, and our students and we are truly grateful!
Andrew States
Foundation Events
Fiscal Year 2021 certainly created challenges when it came to planning our traditional fundraising events. Our events are important in the life of the Founda tion. Not only do they raise critical funds, but they also provide much-needed opportunities to be to gether and to introduce new people to the Founda tion and its work at the College. Not being able to gather in person really took the wind out of our sails. But our event committees were not defeated! Motivated by their commitment to support Bucks and Bucks students, they found innovative ways to continue.
Our Alumni Association continued to give back to students by supporting student clubs through fundraising and a Fall 2020 Food Drive. In 2020, we gave awards to four outstanding alumni and Completion Schol arships to students. We amped up our efforts to spread the word about our Alumni Association with the addition of an Alumni Association module in the student online orientation and the College Success Seminar course. Looking forward, there are more educational opportunities and benefits coming for alumni, changes for our Alumni Council, and a bigger variety of fun events and programs, so keep in touch!
2020 – 2021 sure was an interesting time for me. I started my position as the Coordinator of the An nual Fund and Alumni Engagement at the onset of the pandemic, just three weeks before the College switched to a remote work environment. I imme diately felt as if I were part of a team with my new Foundation office co-workers, despite being apart.
Christine Harvie
Thanks to our generous and supportive Annual Fund donors in 2020, we raised the highest annual fund amount in the history of the Foundation despite a pandemic. Our Means to Succeed Campaign surpassed $100,000. Donors were generous and supportive of our students who were facing many hardships. We came up with new ways to engage students and alumni. Alumni starred in fun video clips where they provided uplifting messages to students who were graduating during the pandemic. They participated in new virtual dis cussion panels like “My Bucks Journey.”
Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement
I would come to learn that more than 350 awards and $377,000 were distributed to students during the 2021 fiscal year. I also was informed that in February 2021, Bucks launched ScholarshipUniverse, an on-line platform that, between February and November, would go on to record 1,414 students applying for one or more scholarships and the submission of 3,801 applications for 150 internal scholarships. That marked a 58% increase from previous years. Additionally, there were more than 7,000 applications that students submitted for external scholarships, those coming from outside community organizations or professional organizations. And the Foun dation team managed to coordinate and oversee most of this during the pandemic working from home. Despite the obstacles, the team was deeply committed to assisting students at Bucks with scholarship support.
So here I am, steeped in gratitude for the opportunity to be working alongside such supportive and inspirational colleagues as we collectively raise funds in support of scholarships and improving quality of life for our students.
As the newest member of the Foundation team, I come at this with fresh eyes and an open heart.
Julianne Theodoropulos
Scholarships and Stewardship
I first met the team on Zoom, interviewing for the Coordinator, Scholarships & Stewardship position.
I was impressed by the Foundation team who talked to me about the Scholarship Program and serving the needs of Bucks students by provid ing scholarship support and other resources to help them earn their degrees and be prepared to enter or re-enter the workforce.
Sue Pfizenmayer
SchoolTransportation27.7%Essentials22.8%Utilities16.7% Miscellaneous&PhoneHousing12.3%Cable7.7%6.9%Childcare3.7% 2.2%Medical
Bucks Student Emergency Fund
Pivots in your life mean opportunity and, boy, did we learn to pivot this year! We became even more creative and flexible and adapted new ways of carrying out our daily responsibilities, special events, connecting with our donors. We emailed, texted and Zoomed for meetings, attended virtu al classes for the new college platforms, ScholarshipUniverse and Workday. Our surveys have shown that students are choosing classes over food and meeting other vital needs. To address those needs, the Student Emergency Fund was started as an outgrowth of the Bucks Fighting Food Insecurity program. Thus far, we have distributed 295 grocery cards and/or cafeteria cards. Students have also received holiday gift cards. To help students get through class, all three campuses have stocked fresh fruit and snack packs. Food pantries have begun opening for students in Theneed.pandemic has challenged our students’ livelihood. Many are struggling to support their families, pay bills and afford college. An internal survey was conducted in Spring 2020 (507 respondents) to access the impact of Covid on the students. The survey revealed that 50% were having problems paying bills, 18% were food insecure and 28% had lost their jobs. Counselors reached out to the students to find out what they needed to help them stay on track. All students are given information about resources available both at the college and in the community. Our goal is to keep students in school and on track to receive their degree or certificate.
Funded by the PECO Foundation, ecology students engaged in service-learning as they worked on the Covered Bridge Trail Restoration Project. Nursing students could continue their education with scholarship support from Independence Blue Cross Foundation’s Nurses for Tomorrow program. We partnered with the Gene Haas Foundation and the Church and Dwight Employee Giving Fund as they granted Bucks the funds to support scholar ships for students in our workforce development manufacturing programs and those students challenged with raising children at the same time they’re going to school. We won first-time grants from Truist and Provident Bank Foundations and Bucks’ new partners of innovation. Coming through state and local channels, emergency aid grants and federal relief funds filled the grants arena. This financial assistance was critically important for many students who lacked the resources, basic and techno logical, to continue their education, or even survive. While Covid restric tions caused grant-supported programs to be suspended or go remote, we gained the support of funders to develop new healthcare programs such as Medical Diagnostic Sonography (Ultrasound) and train essential workers for the community. Thanks to all the faculty and staff who go the extra distance to run these exciting grant projects that enhance our students’ experience at Bucks and enrich our college community!
Patricia Smallacombe
Grants at Bucks
During FY21, we submitted a record number of grant proposals at a success rate of 70%. Furthermore, the $2.1 million in grants funding that arrived this year had an immediate and direct impact on our students and the College.
During a uniquely challenging year, seeking out and pursuing grant opportunities kept us busier than ever! As the pandemic wore on, we stayed the course, striving towards our fundraising goals and even exceeding our expectations.
Even though the physical stage was dark, we continued reaching out: The digital Bucks LIVE! Series featured monthly interactive zoom comedy shows that also raised money for the Foundation’s Bucks Student Emergency Fund along with other interactive digital program such as Cook along, with Bucks’ culinary professors and National Geographic’s Extreme Photographers, a series that was informative and breathtaking. We grew our programming during this unique time in our history. We kept our audiences engaged and found fun new options we can carry forward as our doors reopen and the lights come up in the next season of Bucks LIVE! here at the Zlock Performing Arts Center. See you at the Show! Pete Chiovarou
You take a deep breath, smile, and assess a new landscape. With an optimistic eye and a desire to rise to the challenge, you come up with a new way to connect with audiences, with students, and the community. It was refreshing to be given a clean slate to try new ideas and create a new style of presenting - digital performance!
Zlock Performing Arts Center
What do you do when you’re in charge of a per forming arts center that’s been called the “hub of culture and entertainment in Bucks County,” and in the middle of a block buster season packed with weekly cultural programs, concerts, educational programs and conferences, as well as student per formances – everything comes to a full stop?
Nothing can stop the art. That’s how I approached the ZPAC patrons during the early days of the pandemic. Considering different ways to attract audi ences, I reimagined a theater that was purely digital.
Total Net Assets: $11,519,216 (2021) $8,995,831 (2020) $8,075,129 (2019) $7,571,110 (2018) Total Donations: $1,141,398 (2021) $909,859 $1,089,030$1,188,453(2020)(2019)(2018) Total Donors: 1,003 (2021) 909 (2020) 982 1,009(2019)(2018) 52%41%4% 3%33%67%Original Funding Formula Bucks County Community College 52%41%4% 3%67% Current Funding Bucks County Community College Foundation Financials As of June 30, 2021 Total Funds* Transferred to College for Scholarships, Initiatives, and Programs: $711,547 (2021) $806,911 (2020) $762,936 (2019) $617,733 (2018) *Food Assistance and Emergency Fund support goes directly to students Total Grants Revenue: $ 2,393,815 (2021) $1,815,147 (2020) $1,922,216 (2019) $1,139,501 (2018) Contact foundation@bucks.edu or 215-968-8224 for a copy of the Foundation’s most recent audited financial statements. • Public Funding • Tuition & Fees • Stimulus • Other
The Bucks County Community College Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), organization. A copy of the official registration and financial information for the Foundation may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. The Board of Directors of the Bucks County Community College Foundation Steve Bader Sean Cohen ‘99 James M. Dancy, Jr. Karen L. Dawkins Keith Dozier Shane Fitzgerald Constance M. Furman ‘91 Alex MichaelChristinaJenningsHuber‘22KennethKellerE.Peters,Esq. William Robinson ‘72 Lorena Rodriguez de la Garza Peter J. Smith, Esq. ‘86 Kimberly Solis John Strauss Gregory A. Ventresca Charles Bender, Esq., President Theodore D. Dorand, Vice President Jennifer Frost, Treasurer Michael Rabinowitz, Asst. Treasurer Brandon McFadden ’03, Secretary Dr. Felicia L. Ganther, BCCC President Christina McGinley, CFRE, Executive Director, Foundation & Alumni Relations #BUCKSCCC#BUCKSCCC#BUCKSCCC#BUCKSCCC 22039 Bucks County Community College Alumni Council William Robinson ’72, President Walter Stoertz, Jr.’77, Vice President Randall Miller ’82, Secretary Jill Walton ’18, Treasurer Laura Talafous ’08, Past President Nick Berube ’22, Student Liaison Erin Baeder ’21, Charles Beem ’74, , Rose Cooper ’04, Sam Griga’01, Michael Johnson ’83, Razin Karu ’17, Bill Sarr ’03 Ex-Officio Christine Harvie ’91, Manager Annual Fund & Alumni Engagement
•BUCKS C OUNTY• COMMUNIT Y COLLEGE
Bucks County Community College Foundation In 1982, the Foundation was established as a non-profit, 501(c)(3), educational trust to provide expanded resources for the College’s growth and development. Foundation funds support instructional resources, campus facilities, scholarships and awards, cultural activities, and special College projects. In its quest to advance Bucks County Community College as a community of excellence, the Foundation proactively approaches the private sector of the Bucks County community to secure financial support and other assistance. This community support enhances the College’s ongoing activities and programs as well as initiates new services and programs not adequately funded through traditional sources. In addition to soliciting and receiving funds and other gifts on behalf of the College, the Foundation raises community awareness through its special events, such as the annual Bucks Community Awards & Breakfast, Golf Classic and Salute to Mothers Scholarship Tea.