The ripple effects of community support for BRCC Educational Foundation
Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation exists to facilitate financial and community support for the students, faculty and programs of Blue Ridge Community College. Through our volunteer Board of Directors, and Foundation staff, we engage individuals, families, businesses and organizations to actively support and share in the college's mission and vision.
This ongoing community and philanthropic support enables Blue Ridge Community College to keep pace with the changes happening in every aspect of education and helps the college develop and expand programs to meet the needs of our workforce and employers. This, in turn, equips Blue Ridge students to further their education at a four-year university, find quality jobs after graduation or revamp their career with new skills and certifications.
The impact of a single gift truly has the potential to create a ripple effect in the life of a student for decades and a parallel effect for our community when that student chooses to remain close to home and enter the local workforce.
Each year, the Foundation provides financial assistance to Blue Ridge students through scholarships, a work-study program and emergency loans and grants. The Foundation also purchases state-of-the-art equipment for use in classrooms, sponsors faculty development, provides start-up costs for new programs, funds program expansion costs and solicits support for special projects on campus.
Although the mission of the Foundation has gone unchanged since its inception almost 50 years ago, its impact has grown to more than $1 million in financial support each year for the college. With assets approaching $17 million, the Foundation is one of the largest community college foundations in North Carolina.
While many foundations and charitable organizations saw a decline in support during the pandemic, the Foundation experienced unprecedented support. This record-breaking giving is an indication of the role Blue Ridge Community College has in economic growth and supporting a well-trained workforce for Henderson and Transylvania Counties.
One of the examples of the phenomenal support we received in 2022 was an anonymous $2 million donation for student financial aid. This gift made it possible for the college to continue to offer free college to all of our students for fall 2022 and spring 2023 semesters, while also supporting the largest fall enrollment in the history of Blue Ridge Community College. The $2 million gift was the largest received so far in 2022 and the largest overall since Liselotte R. Wehrheim bequeathed $1.75 million to the Foundation in 2020.
We also received a $1 million grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation in 2022 to support the construction of a fully automated teaching greenhouse for Blue Ridge students. The economic impact of this grant will allow us to train workers for our commercial growers, bolstering the agriculture sector for our region – creating ripple effects for years to come. Installation and outfitting of the new greenhouse should be completed by September 2023.
As you might expect, direct student assistance is one of our most important areas of focus. Financial concerns are a significant factor in students remaining in or dropping out of school. Through the generous support of donors through the years, thousands of students have been able to stay in school and achieve their educational and career goals - resulting in generational change for many families.
Support from our generous donors provides financial support for tuition, books, fees, and living expenses, thus improving the ability of students to focus on their coursework and training. During the 2021-22 academic year, the Foundation awarded nearly 300 scholarships totaling $469,000. We are on track to increase that support this current year as the College continues to grow and serve more students each year.
Our donors' generosity produces real results, whether it’s a one-time donation, ongoing sustainable support, or corporate and estate gifts. When combined with the many gifts from our community and philanthropic partners, a single contribution has the potential to positively impact the lives of many students and our community.
The Foundation remains focused on providing as much financial support to Blue Ridge Community College as possible, so that together, we are preparing students to meet our region's most critical workforce needs, not just today but for the years ahead. With your support, we are confident that we will accomplish that goal.
If you would like to have a conversation about how you can join us in this important work, please contact me at 828.694.1709 or brccef@blueridge.edu.
Lisa Adkins is Vice President for Advancement at Blue Ridge Community College
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: The ripple effects of community support for BRCC Educational Foundation
