Greetings from Rochester Community and Technical College! We extend our utmost appreciation for your continued commitment to RCTC and our students. The RCTC Foundation and its donors focus on five key areas:
• Scholarships — support to provide access to an affordable education
• Student Support — support for basic student needs
• Academic Excellence — support to secure cutting-edge equipment and innovative grants
• Championship Athletics — support to assist with costs associated with our nationally ranked athletic programs
• Strategic Investments — support for other college and student needs to ensure success
Your generosity over the past year has significantly impacted our students while shaping an outstanding educational landscape. The collaborative efforts of faculty, staff, and the RCTC Foundation continue to drive our success, upholding RCTC’s mission of empowering students to thrive in an ever-changing, diverse society by providing access to exceptional education.
As we reflect on the past year’s achievements and anticipate future opportunities, your role in making this possible is deeply appreciated. Every gift to the RCTC Foundation is an investment in the future and impacts our students and community.
Sincerely,
Jeffery Boyd, Ed.D.
Alex Brainard President, RCTC President, RCTC Foundation
Invested $10,000 in STEM Equipment and Extracurricular STEM Activities
Invested
$10,000 in a Vibrant Campus Community through Athletics, Music, and Theater Activities
Provided 770 Bags of Groceries Through the HIVE Supply Awarded 393 Scholarships Valued at $572,000
WHY WE GIVE TO THE RCTC FOUNDATION
BY: Ray Lorrey
Provided $54,000 of In-Kind Materials for Auto and Carpentry
Donated Fridge/ Freezer Housed
$50,000 of Donated Food
Stay local and stay focused have guided our giving.
The lucky chance of attending a marvelous RCTC theatre production prompted us to launch The Miranda Fund to support theatre education at RCTC. Named for Prospero’s daughter (The Tempest) and for a cherished friend, like all Funds for Excellence at RCTC, anyone can contribute. Giving or even setting up a fund is made both fun and easy by the staff at the RCTC Foundation Office.
Once we’d arrived at RCTC, we soon found another program that fit our interests. My wife’s career in medicine (military, ER and rural) gave her deep insight into the value of nursing. RCTC educates many nurses, and The Mildred Montag Fund provides nursing scholarships. Montag’s idea for community colleges providing nursing education is a proven winner. The Mildred Montag Fund receives our biggest donation every year. Meeting the Montag scholars is an ongoing joy.
RCTC students contribute mightily to Med City, so we contribute to RCTC.
EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO THRIVE
In 2023-2024, the RCTC Foundation offered more than 380 scholarships valued at over $500,000. We are grateful to all donors who support our students. A full list of scholarships is available online at www.rctc.edu/scholarships . We would like to highlight the following new scholarships at RCTC:
• David & Kathy Borchardt Scholarship
• Marian Boyd Memorial Scholarship
• Adam Finseth Memorial Scholarship
• Kathleen and John Glawe Scholarship
• John Haberman Scholarship
• Franklyn and Anne Knox Scholarship
• Opportunity Scholarship
• James Scudamore Memorial Scholarship
• Stone-Norton Scholarship
RCTC FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND
The RCTC Foundation Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to RCTC students and supports the scholarship program (ceremonies and software). More than 80% of the scholarships awarded each year are funded by donors who choose to support a specific program or student experience that is meaningful to them. Donations to the RCTC Foundation Scholarship supports students that do not qualify for donor-specific scholarships, have financial need and are excellent scholarship candidates.
“I started my own journey to higher education at a community college, and I want to make sure that others are afforded the same opportunities. RCTC students deserve to feel supported and valued, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to invest in their education — they are the future of our community.”
You are smart, you can do anything you put your mind to.
MARIAN BOYD MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
This annual scholarship honors the mother of RCTC President Jeffery S. Boyd and supports those students who are single custodial parents and face personal and systemic barriers. She would often say, “You are smart, you can do anything you put your mind to.”
KATHLEEN AND JOHN GLAWE SCHOLARSHIP
In 2023-2024, John Glawe established a scholarship to honor his late wife, Kathleen, who passed away on October 25, 2019. John shares, “Kathleen returned to college after our youngest child was in junior high, earning a master’s degree in special education. She taught in Rochester Public Schools until retirement, with her favorite role helping young mothers secure jobs. Former students often hugged her, grateful for her caring support.”
This scholarship provides financial assistance to single custodial parents at RCTC, helping them to succeed and continue Kathleen’s legacy of support.
WHY SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIPS?
“As a single mother to three boys and going to school to better our future, you have taken so much stress off of my plate. Thanks to you my future definitely feels brighter.”
“Supporting scholarship recipients at RCTC is one of the most impactful investments the Skaaren Trust has made— because we can see how our contributions make a difference.”
— AMON BURTON, TRUSTEE SKAAREN SCHOLARSHIP
OAKS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
“Thanks for seeing me as a student worthy of your scholarship. Your generosity will help me become the nurse I always dreamed I could be!”
FRANKLYN AND ANNE KNOX SCHOLARSHIP
“Rochester is facing an exciting time of growth and with that comes the need for welltrained individuals up to the task of creating our future environments. Supporting students at RCTC with their education and training gives us great satisfaction and hope for our future.”
— MAYOR KIM NORTON, DONOR STONE-NORTON SCHOLARSHIP
ADAM FINSETH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Adam Finseth, a Rochester native and RCTC alumnus, served two tours in Iraq before returning home to marry his wife Tara in 2009 and raise two children. After his military service, he worked as a firefighter and medic, joining the Burnsville Fire Department in 2019 with plans to finish his career there. Tragically, Adam was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic incident in February 2024. In response to this loss, the community generously contributed to establish a scholarship in his honor, with a significant anonymous donation ensuring its endowment for future generations.
JAMES SCUDAMORE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
James (Jim) Scudamore, raised in Rochester, MN, developed a passion for helping others early in life. A Boy Scout and National Guard member, he became a CPA in Kansas before retiring to Colorado, where he volunteered as a rotarian and at the library. Jim passed away unexpectedly in June 2023.
Through his will, Jim left a generous gift to the RCTC Foundation for scholarships. His brother, Gordon Scudamore, an RCTC alumnus and former Foundation Board member, said, “Jim graduated from Rochester State Junior College in 1967. He always looked back on his time at the College as his steppingstone to higher education. He really loved the College—the relationships he had with his instructors and his friends were an important part of his success there. It’s part of the reason I chose
“This scholarship will empower me to achieve my long-term goals in the field of medical
imaging, including obtaining specialized certifications and contributing meaningfully to healthcare.”
—
KARL
WIPF, RECIPIENT JAMES SCUDAMORE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
INVESTING IN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
RCTC is not only affordable–it offers an exceptional education to our students. Our community supports academic quality by donating funds for excellence and in-kind equipment to enrich our teaching and learning.
NEW FUNDS FOR EXCELLENCE
• Montag Professional Growth Fund for Excellence
This fund recognizes the importance of our exceptional nursing faculty and staff and invests in their development and well-being.
• Leon and Linda Gregg Music Fund for Excellence “We are delighted to support the RCTC music program. We started attending the concerts with Chuck Blattner and have been going for years. We know how important music is to us—and we want to share that love of music with others.”
SUPPORTING STUDENT BASIC NEEDS
JOHN HABERMAN STEM FUND FOR EXCELLENCE
The Haberman STEM Fund for Excellence supports opportunities beyond the standard STEM curriculum, funding new chemistry equipment, student research conferences, and a field trip to national research labs in California. John Haberman, a 1967 graduate of Rochester State Junior College (now RCTC), went on to specialize in physical chemistry and worked at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Dr. Haberman shares, “At NASA, mentoring students and seeing them inspired by science made me happier than most of my scientific achievements. My goal with this fund is to help RCTC instructors, like Dr. Heather Sklenicka, inspire students to pursue careers in science.” He has also funded scholarships to help students afford STEM courses at RCTC.
CELEBRATING A LEGACY OF CHAMPIONS
We are proud of our RCTC Yellowjackets and their achievements. These student-athletes balance practice, games, studies, and often work to pay for college. Many don’t know that NJCAA colleges can’t offer athletic scholarships. By investing in our Yellowjacket programs, you remove barriers to participation in events like spring training trips for softball and baseball, provide essential equipment, and support travel expenses for games and playoffs. Your generosity fosters leadership, grit, and teamwork among our athletes.
Supporting students’ basic needs helps them complete their education and secure better employment. HIVE Supply, RCTC’s on-campus food pantry, and the Yellowjacket Emergency Support (YES) Fund provide food, emergency counseling, and student grants. Last year, we received generous grants from State Farm and the Rochester Area Foundation. The grant from the Rochester Area Foundation included funding for a $5,000 dollar-for-dollar matching grant and a $1,000 challenge grant to reach 100 Hive Supply donors. In 2023-2024, the Hive Supply provided 3,079 bags of groceries to RCTC students in need. Thank you to everyone that helped us reach our goals.
One student shares, “The Hive Supply has been a lifesaver. I get diapers for my daughter and weekly food. Before Hive, I couldn’t afford enough diapers, and I’d leave her in them for hours. Now, I have three meals a day, and I can save money for other expenses. The Hive Supply has given me peace of mind and a better life for my child and me.”
RCTC FOUNDATION FINANCIAL STATEMENT
ROCHESTER COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
JUNE 30, 2024
ASSETS
ROCHESTER COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION STATEMENT
The accompanying notes are an integral part
The RCTC Foundation is committed to good stewardship of the donations entrusted to us. Each year, we commit to a full review of our financial policies and practices. We strive to offer transparency to our donors, so that they know their gifts make an impact which is meaningful to them. We invest prudently to ensure we can provide the greatest impact for our students, now and for years to come. A copy of our full audit is available upon request.
FOUNDATION MISSION
The Rochester Community and Technical College Foundation improves lives with support of quality, affordable, accessible higher education. The RCTC Foundation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) charitable organization. In accordance with IRS rules and regulations, contributions are tax-deductible.
THANK YOU
We are grateful to the generous donors who have chosen to support our students this year. As tax season approaches, many people are considering tax-advantageous ways to give. There are many ways you can make a difference at RCTC:
• Qualified Charitable Distribution from an IRA
• Transfer of appreciated stocks
• In-kind donations of equipment or automobiles
• Payroll giving and employer matching gifts
• Include RCTC Foundation in your will or estate plans
• Make a gift online at www.rctc.edu/giving
Contact the RCTC Foundation office for more information.
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS
Scan the QR code above to review the RCTC Foundation honor roll and memorials or visit https://www.rctc.edu/ foundation/honor-roll-donors/. A printed copy of the Honor Roll is available upon request.
Every effort is made to ensure that this list is accurate and complete. If we have inadvertently omitted, misspelled, or otherwise improperly reported your name or gift, please contact the RCTC Foundation office at 507-281-7771 or email at foundation@rctc.edu.
