Opening Doors Santa Fe College has a rich history of changing lives. Our admissions policy has always been inclusive and unlimited. Now, Santa Fe College and the Santa Fe College Foundation are working in partnership to address the financial obstacles that prevent students from succeeding. With your help, the Opening Doors campaign will expand opportunities for success in Alachua and Bradford counties, providing underserved populations with access to higher education and advancing economic development in the community. The Opening Doors campaign has a goal of raising $10 million in private donations. When endowed, these funds will provide in excess of $500,000 every year for scholarships and program enhancements. The majority of these awards will go to the most financially challenged students in our district. Campaign funds will also help grow facilties on our Northwest Campus and our centers. The Blount Center will become the Blount Campus, helping an increased number of students, many of them first generation students, to gain access to educational and employment opportunities in the burgeoning innovation district.
“When I was leaving home for the first time, I was so scared I was going to fail. I followed my parents advice and believed in myself. I applied for scholarships at Santa Fe College and prayed that someone else would believe in me, too. They did and I graduated from Santa Fe with my bachelor’s degree in 2017. Now, because of the doors that you have opened, I am proud to say that I am working as a pediatric surgery nurse at UF Health. I’m also working on my Doctorate of Pediatric Nursing Practice at the University of Florida. Without the scholarship from the SF Foundation, this would never have been possible. Thank you for believing in me.” - Chelsey McClellan, Santa Fe College Nursing Alumna, Class of 2017
Creating Opportunities The gift of a scholarship can have an enormous impact on a person’s future. It can open the door to local job opportunities, or make it possible to transfer to a state university. The Santa Fe College Foundation currently awards over 600 scholarships per year, with an annual value of over $1.6 million. Many of our students are juggling myriad challenges – part-time jobs, child or elder care responsibilities, unreliable transportation and sometimes health concerns of their own. For many of our first-generation students, a scholarship offers the opportunity to change not only their lives, but the future narrative for an entire family. Our challenge in supporting more of our underserved and non-traditional students is that almost all of our existing scholarships are reserved for our traditional full time students. All of our students are helping to shape the future, and their continued success is our legacy. Please join us in helping to open the doors for more non-traditional, part-time and first-generation students.
“I can’t even believe I’m going to be able to go to a university, to be the first person my family to get a college degree. My mom did such a good job raising me. I was a handful sometimes. I know there were a lot of times she questioned herself. But I feel like now she knows she did a good job. My scholarship is what is allowing me to continue my education and my life. It’s allowed me to be in student government and to compete in the national ethics bowl. We traveled to Utah and won third place! Most of all, it’s allowed me to help the people around me.” - Jasmin Hernandez DuBois, A.A. Political Science
Expanding Possibilities Santa Fe College’s Blount Center is expanding. With the help of public and private funds, the old Gainesville Gas building that Charley and Patsy Blount helped acquire and renovate in 1993, is growing from 8,000 to 80,000 square feet. Soon, the corner of University Avenue and NW 6th Street will be home to the state-of-the-art Blount Hall. This new landmark and the existing classroom and administration buildings, populated with full support services, will transform the educational center into a full service downtown campus. Students living downtown or on the east side of Gainesville will be able to take advantage of expanded class offerings as well as academic and career counseling and student financial aid. Located in the heart of the burgeoning Innovation Square, the Blount Campus will also house the Information Technology and Business programs. Having a campus that combines these programs with SF’s Center for Innovation and Economic Development, or CIED, will expand entrepreneurial opportunities for all of our students and help grow our local economy.
“Attending Santa Fe College was the best decision I could have made. The college invested a great deal of time in me and provided the best learning environment in and outside of the classroom. Obtaining a scholarship from the Santa Fe College Foundation played a major role in my educational journey. The scholarship provided more than just money; it opened the door for mentors to help me navigate through the college experience, guidance to make sure I stayed on track academically and networking opportunities within the community. I completed my degree with no debt and still maintain the relationships I built as a result of the scholarship. I am forever thankful for the doors this scholarship has opened for me.” - Jacobi Bedenfield, Santa Fe College Alumnus, Class of 2017
You are the key! With your help, we can create a future where our entire community has expanded access to education. Your gift opens doors to local job and career opportunities. It provides first generation students the ability to graduate from college or transfer to a university, helping them to support their families and begin a new tradition of success. The Santa Fe College Foundation helps to keep your investment working close to home – and to keep our local talent right here in Alachua and Bradford counties. By supporting Santa Fe College and its students, you are changing the lives of your neighbors, employees and friends. This campaign is the largest fundraising effort in college history. Sharing this opportunity with your friends will help to create a ripple effect in our community. Together, we are opening doors to a better future for our students, and you are the key!
“Contributions to the Santa Fe College Foundation are a vital source of funding for the college. Through donor investment, Santa Fe College is carrying out its vision of Opening Doors and providing the keys to a better future. With your support, we can grow our downtown campus for local populations that need expanded access, and we can provide significantly more scholarships for students facing financial barriers. There is only one way we can guarantee that Santa Fe College is opening doors – with your help! Please join Layne and me in this needed and noble mission.” - Santa Fe College President Jackson Sasser
Ways to give. Each of our students has a story. It’s in our hands to help them have a success story. Your investment in the Opening Doors campaign will help our students reach their full potential and create a brighter future in Alachua and Bradford counties. These students are counting on your generous support. Will you join us?
Ways to give now with outright gifts: Cash
A cash gift is the simplest way to establish a fund or give to an existing fund.
Securities
Everybody wins when you make a gift of appreciated stock to the Santa Fe College Foundation.
Real Estate
Making a charitable gift of real estate to the Santa Fe College Foundation can help you turn your property gains into community good.
Ways to give later with planned gifts: Charitable Lead Trusts
A Charitable Lead Trust helps you build a charitable fund with your community foundation during the trust’s term. When the trust terminates, the remaining assets are transferred to you or your heirs, often with significant transfer-tax savings.
Retirement Plans
The Charitable IRA Rollover is federal legislation that allows individuals to donate up to $100,000 to charities without a tax penalty when given from the retiree’s individual retirement account (IRA).
Charitable Gift Annuities
Giving through a Charitable Gift Annuity allows you to arrange a generous gift to the college, while providing yourself a new income source you can count on for the rest of your life.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
Giving through a Charitable Remainder Trust allows you to receive income for the rest of your life, knowing that whatever remains will benefit your community.
Bequests
A charitable bequest in your will is a simple way to make a lasting gift to your community.
The return on investment is real! The excitement is growing!
2019 Board of Directors Jo Wiggins, President Barbara Anderson Mark Avera Patricia M. Blount Patrice Boyes Reeves H. Byrd, Jr. Ralph W. Cellon, Jr. Charles W. Clemons, Sr. Joseph W. “Jody” Davis Stefan M. Davis Michael M. Goldwire Jim Herring Alan Hitchcock Caridad “Carrie” Lee Brittany C. Loper G. Thomas Mallini Bryan K. Nazworth Carol “Brandi” Noegel Jeffrey L. Oody James F. Painter Jason Rosenberg James D. Salter Jackson N. Sasser
To learn more about leaving your legacy in our community and creating opportunities for others, call 352-395-5200, email foundation@sfcollege.edu or visit our website at sfcollege.edu/OpeningDoors. CCS 2-2019