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The
luncheon gives us an ideal opportunity to connect two vitally important pieces
of our puzzle. Our donors have the opportunity to see the results of their
investments in the lives of our students, and the students have the opportunity
to personally thank those who have positively affected their lives. We all know
that we can put a quantitative value on the dollars that are invested in these
scholarships, but none of us could hazard even a rough estimate as to the
ultimate impact of those dollars in changing lives. It is such a tremendously
powerful agent within this educational process, and it is something that we can
never celebrate enough.
The
event has come a long way. For our first scholarship luncheon in 2003, we honored
10 donors and the students they helped. We didn’t need many tables and chairs
to accommodate the participants. On March 20, 2014, however, the story was much
different as a packed house heard about 78 scholarships created and sustained
by individuals, families, civic groups, and companies. More than 200 people
participated, and I have to admit that I was overwhelmed by the size of the
crowd and the monumental impact that is being made every day by and through our
donors and recipients.
Sometime
folks with special circumstances need special opportunities, and these
scholarships help us create those opportunities. Awards through our Foundation
have become the lifeblood of Mid-South Community College. It may be that
$500-a-semester scholarship that adds on to the Pell grant that gives people
the opportunity to pay for child care, put gas in the car, buy groceries, or
walk away from a part-time or minimum-wage job in order to lay the groundwork
for a real career. For many of our students, if they did not have that extra
help, they would not be here. The general public perception is that these folks
have all of the financial aid they can get, and the truth is, even if they
receive everything they even remotely qualify for, they will just barely meet
their school needs. Foundation scholarships help them get over the hump and
truly focus on a better life.
Our
private scholarship program is a wonderful example of the willingness of our
community to invest in the lives of those who have such great potential to move
our region forward. Through the generosity of many, we are touching people who
will be the first in their family to graduate from college, and that is an
awesome opportunity. At the end of the day, because of the liberality of our
scholarship donors, lives are changed and communities are strengthened. Our
economies can grow, and our schools are better resourced. The quality of life
is raised for everyone by individual choices to help someone. It is through the
generosity and foresight of our scholarship donors that we are changing the
landscape of the Delta through education.
- See more at:
http://www.midsouthcc.edu/blog/scholarship-luncheon-honors-donors-salutes-recipients/#sthash.MIO7YuZy.dpuf
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