BRCC EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC
Summer 2019
BRCC’s 51 st Commencement
M ore than 1,100 degrees, diplomas, and certificates were conferred on May 4, 2019 to
celebrating recipients as friends and family cheered on the new grads! Over 250 graduates walked in the ceremony. From left to right, BRCC President John Downey, student speaker Brad Ridder, and keynote speaker Joyce Colemon process to the commencement ceremony.
Brad Ridder, student speaker, received his Associate of Science in Computer Science as well as a Career Studies Certificate in Cyber Security. He plans to transfer to James Madison University to study Computer Science. He told his fellow graduates, “Coming from someone that was searching for a second chance, I was able to find it here and achieve the excellence that will propel me to wherever life takes me next. We all were. So, congratulations, graduates. Let’s go change the world.” Giving the keynote address was Joyce Colemon, a long-time friend and supporter of BRCC. She served on the College Board representing the City of Waynesboro beginning in 2001. Service to her community and church is paramount in Ms. Colemon’s life, and she has received numerous awards and recognitions for it. She told graduates and their families to recognize that “life is a journey; as you travel this journey take a little time to live it through giving, serving, uplifting and inspiring others along the way.”
BRCC Educational Foundation Board Chair Mary Louise Leake • Vice Chair Matthias N. Smith • Secretary John A. Downey • Treasurer Cynthia F. Page
Kelly R.S. Blosser Kenneth R. Boward Rob W. Cale
Karen C. Clark Kenneth S. Cleveland III Denise E. “D.D.” Dawson
Douglas G. Driver Silvia T. Garcia-Romero Teresa H. Gauldin
Camala B. Kite Mary McDermott Beverly B. McGowan
Thomas C. Mendez Sacha Purciful Karen E. Santos
William M. Saxman Jr. Jerry D. Sheets Alan L. Shelton
Linnea J. Spradlin Ruth E. Jones Turner Pamela K. Ungar
Community Link is an official publication of the Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation. It is distributed to friends in the Shenandoah Valley, as well as BRCC faculty and staff, and is published quarterly by the Development Office, Blue Ridge Community College, Weyers Cave, VA 24486. If you have any questions or comments regarding this publication, please contact Angie Glenn, Development Services Coordinator, at (540) 453-2307 or glenna@brcc.edu.
Ken and Nancy Bowman Honored with 2018 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy
T he Virginia Community College System and Chancellor Glenn DuBois have presented Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Bowman of Waynesboro with the 14 Annual th
Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. They were nominated for the award by Blue Ridge Community College. The Bowmans were recognized along with two dozen other individuals, families, and businesses from around Virginia for their exceptional support of Virginia’s Community Colleges. The awards were presented at a luncheon sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education in Richmond on April 16, 2019. As part of the award, each college will be given funds for the Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship, to be named in honor of the college’s 2019 Chancellor’s Award recipient. Now in its 14th year, the Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy recognizes outstanding leaders who have helped support Virginia’s Community Colleges and their respective foundations. This year, among those honored were four members of VCCS faculty, all of whom have made contributions that have helped their colleges and their students grow. This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has contributed a combined total of more than $18 million dollars to Virginia’s Community Colleges. BRCC President, Dr. John Downey remarked, “Ken and Nancy Bowman have been stalwart supporters of Blue Ridge Community College for almost two decades. We were pleased that their generosity in 2004 allowed us to construct the Bowman Large Animal Teaching Facility to support our Veterinary Technology program.” In addition to the donation that funded that facility, they have funded the Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth D. Bowman Endowed Scholarship – a significant scholarship for deserving students who intend to pursue a dental-related or healthcare career. He added, “The Bowmans are truly enthusiastic about Blue Ridge Community College, and for that, we are exceptionally grateful!” Donald Graham, keynote speaker and Chairman of the Board at Graham Holdings Company and Co-Founder of TheDream.US, spoke about the importance of Virginia’s Community Colleges and the ways that the philanthropists have contributed to the Commonwealth. “We are in this room today to tell you, whether you work for one of the colleges or have given to one of the colleges, that what you are doing is absolutely right,” Graham said during his remarks. “I am so proud of this crowd for what you’re doing, and I hope you are proud of yourselves and your fellow donors and of the leaders and teachers at the community colleges you serve.”
T
he 24th Spring Fling Auction was a great success! Together with your support, the BRCC Educational Foundation raised almost $74,000. This includes sponsorships, cash donations, ticket sales and auction purchases. The funds raised support many of the priorities we have shared in this newsletter—our students, programs, technology, scholarships, and more. The BRCC Educational Foundation thanks all those involved in making this a meaningful event. Be sure to make plans now to join us for the next annual Spring Fling Auction on April 17, 2020.
Bhands-on RCC’s popular summer youth program offers a variety of learning opportunities (and LOTS of fun) for rising
K-12 students. The 2019 program will run June 19 – July 19 (no classes July 1-5). There are over 20 new classes this year – Ceramics, Drones, Acting, Computers, Adventure Sports, Painting, Lego Robotics, Pre-Veterinary Technology, and much, much more! Explore classes and register at https:// www.brcc.edu/continuinged/lcbf/; call (540) 453-2215 or email WCE@brcc.edu for more information.
T
he Great Community Give was also a resounding success! An initiative of the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, the Great Community Give is a powerful one-day, online giving event designed to inspire and grow philanthropy in our community. Over $536,000 was raised in a single day, April 17, 2019 supporting 89 local nonprofit organizations. The BRCC Educational Foundation participated for the first time and raised more than $6,000 to support BRCC students and programs.
You Can Make a Difference
T
he BRCC Educational Foundation closes out its fiscal year on June 30, 2019, but there is still time to contribute to the 2018-19 Blue Ridge Annual Fund. If you want to be a part of building the dreams of today’s students, then make your gift to the Blue Ridge Annual Fund. Online giving has never been easier! Scan this code to make a donation now to the BRCC Educational Foundation, Inc.
BRCC Studen
Non-Profit Internship
Provides Valuable Learning Opportunity for Business Student
B
obby Hart is a young man with a plan. Looking forward to a career as a financial analyst, he knew he wanted to get his foot into the business realm to start networking and gaining some real world knowledge. He connected with BRCC Career Services to find an appropriate internship opportunity, and his time at the American Frontier Culture Foundation has proven to be everything he wanted and more. Under the guidance of Justin Reiter, Executive Director of the American Frontier Culture Foundation, Hart’s internship duties have included creating a database on a field trip grant program, doing mailings, reconciling reports, and learning about donor relations. “When he leaves here, I want him to know everything he can about working for a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization,” says Reiter. “He’s looked at our financials and come back to me with a list of excellent questions. Bobby attended a fundraiser to meet our donors. That gave him 200 people to network with.” After only a few weeks into the job, Hart’s work ethic and desire to learn made an impression on Reiter. “He’s going to go far,” says Reiter of the 20-year-old intern. From Hart’s perspective, the people he’s met are the best part. “The people are all great,
$ 370,,255 in Schola
D uring the 2018-19 academic year more than 200 BRCC students benefited from $370,255 in scholarships
awarded through the BRCC Educational Foundation thanks to your generosity and support. Scholarship recipients were given the opportunity to meet the BRCC supporters who helped make their educational goals a reality at the annual
BRCC Foundation Board member Ruth Jones Turner presents the James A. and Odella M. Armstrong Endowed Scholarship to Jeremiah Castillo at Robert E. Lee High School.
BRCC scholarship recipients gather to say thank you to donors and su
nt Spotlight
t
both on a personal and professional level,” says Hart. “I know that I can seek out guidance from them now and in the future. They are great people to have advocating for you.” Hart freely admits that academics were not a priority in high school. He lacked motivation and mostly “coasted through.” That all changed after starting at BRCC. Now, he is often the one encouraging his peers to establish more organization and time management into their lives. “If you want to get ahead, you can’t just be mediocre,” says Hart. “You have to be over and above. You have to set the standard. You have to accept challenges and learn from them.” “I love Blue Ridge,” Hart continues. “Blue Ridge is the best thing that happened to me.” Hart is taking 18 credits in addition to working eight hours a week at the internship. He plans to graduate this summer with a transfer degree in Business Administration. In the fall, he’ll study Finance at JMU. Reiter encourages other businesses to consider Blue Ridge students for internships. When he was approached by Dave Melvin, BRCC Employer Relations Representative, he “jumped at the chance” even though his department hadn’t had an intern for several years. One key, however, is to have a plan for what the intern should accomplish so boredom never strikes. “We’re a small shop, so having an intern is beneficial in helping us get to projects that may have been on the backburner,” he notes. “But I think it’s important that the job is not just busy work. You want them to have a meaningful experience which builds leadership skills and helps them develop a decision-making process.” For more information on BRCC internships, contact Dave Melvin at (540) 453-2523 or melvind@brcc.edu.
arships Awarded scholarship luncheon held on March 29, 2019. BRCC’s Financial Aid department has been busy this spring making awards for the 2019-20 academic year, and BRCC Educational Foundation Board members have been making their rounds at local high schools to honor student scholarship recipients. Many of our area’s most successful high school students choose to attend BRCC, not just to realize cost savings over four-year colleges and universities, but because BRCC has excellent instructors, small classes offering personal attention, and rigorous coursework that will challenge and engage them.
upporters.
BRCC Foundation Board member Ken Cleveland presents Sara Ross with the NTELOS Endowed Scholarship at Fort Defiance High School.
April 17, 2020, 6:00 p.m., Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center
25th Annual Spring Fling Auction
October 9, 2019, 7:30 a.m. Waynesboro Golf and Country Club October 10, 2019, 7:30 a.m. Spotswood Country Club, Harrisonburg October 11, 2018, 7:30 a.m. Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center, Staunton
Community Breakfast Series
Save the Date!
Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation, Inc. P. O. Box 80 Weyers Cave, VA 24486 (540) 453-2211 www.brcc.edu/EdFound Non Profit Org. U. S. Postage and Fees Paid BRCC