Clark State to honor past graduates, community group during foundation scholarship fundraiser
Sep. 23—Clark State College on Tuesday will host its Presidential Awards banquet to support scholarships and recognize honorees next week.
The banquet, which will be held at the Hollenbeck Bayley Creative Arts and Conference Center, is to support the Clark State Foundation.
The event, created in 2019, is to honor the recipients of the Distinguished Alumnus, Emerging Leader and Richard O. Brinkman awards, and to raise funds for student scholarships through the Foundation.
Toni Overholser, vice president of advancement, said college alumni have made "significant contributions" to the communities they serve, including at the local, state and national levels.
"The Presidential Awards Banquet provides an opportunity to recognize their accomplishments, while also raising funds for student scholarships. This is a very special annual event for the college. This year's recipients are amazing people who have used their talents to uplift and support others, their generosity is an inspiration," she said.
The Foundation awards $300,000 in scholarships each year to hundreds of students for financial needs, academic performance, or a specific program of study to both full-time and part-time students. Applications are open each April for the upcoming year, and there are more than 50 different scholarships offered through the Foundation
The 2022 Presidential Award honorees are:
The Emerging Leader Award will be presented to Gregory Felder. He is a Communications Analyst for the World Bank Group where he co-founded a youth engagement program to connect with their young audience. He earned an associate's degree from Clark State and a bachelor's degree from Wright State in mass communications.
"I'm extremely honored to be receiving this award. It's extra special to me because Clark State is where I started learning leadership skills through student council and the student ambassador program," Felder said.
The Distinguished Alumnus Award will be presented to Brian Faust. He is the Chief Financial Officer of JobsOhio and the Managing Parter of JobsOhio Growth Capital Fund. He earned an associate's degree from Clark State, a bachelor's degree from Wright State and an MBA from the University of Dayton.
"I am honored to receive (this) award. My time at Clark State provided a great foundation for other educational opportunities and a professional career. It was a wonderful experience," Faust said.
The Richard O. Brinkman Award will be presented to The Turner Foundation. The Foundation and the Landess family have been longtime supporters of the college and its mission, and have changed the lives of many local residents through access to quality higher education because of their scholarship support.
"The Foundation board and staff are honored to be receiving (this) award this year. We are proud to support Clark State in its many outreaches to further our community's educational opportunities," said John Landess, Executive Director of the Turner Foundation.
