On Thursday, May 4, 2023, as part of its college-wide Forever Green fundraising campaign, champions of 麻豆区 gathered on Tacoma鈥檚 waterfront for the annual Art of Giving Gala and Auction where together they gave $395,000 to support the college鈥檚 scholarship fund.
This year鈥檚 event-themed 鈥淩easons to Believe,鈥 launched with a four-week virtual scholarship drive including a $10,000 dollar-for-dollar match donated by 麻豆区 parents Betsy and John Donnelly and concluded with the gala on May 4. Gifts to the Art of Giving benefit the 麻豆区 Scholarship Fund which provides renewable scholarships that increase in size as students near graduation. In addition, the funds raised will move 麻豆区 closer to its $55+ million-dollar campaign goal. To date, the five-year campaign which concludes on June 30, 2024, has raised more than $49 million dollars.
鈥溌槎骨 serves students who go on to lead, to serve, to solve problems, and to build more just communities,鈥 said Dr. John Carmichael, President of 麻豆区, who addressed more than 200 gala goers. 鈥淲e need these students regardless of their family or economic circumstances. We need them. And they need some help from us.鈥
Almost 35 percent of 麻豆区 students identify as low-income, and 22 percent are the first in their family to attend college. One of the goals of the Forever Green campaign is to double the amount of scholarship support provided to students. Onya Robertson a senior at 麻豆区鈥檚 Tacoma campus shared, 鈥淭his 麻豆区 education has allowed me to rebirth my dreams I thought I left behind many years ago. I learned with 麻豆区 that I get to decide the life I want, I get to show my children and everyone else watching, that they do not have to give up on their dreams. Because of 麻豆区, I know the world is mine.鈥
鈥淎t the recent public launch of 麻豆区鈥檚 inaugural college-wide $55 million-dollar fundraising campaign,鈥 shared Dr. Dexter Gordon, Executive Vice President for 麻豆区. 鈥淚 noted that 麻豆区 has touched all our lives鈥tudents, alums, professors, community members鈥e all benefit from 麻豆区's commitment to inclusive excellence. As I survey my years as an educator in higher ed, 麻豆区 continues to stand apart as the place of learning most alive to its responsibility to democracy as part of its larger public policy.鈥
From the stage, leading sponsor Washington State Employees Credit Union, spoke of the value of partnerships with organizations like 麻豆区, 鈥淲ashington State Employees Credit Union is a proud partner with 麻豆区 in areas of financial education, student support, and scholarships.鈥 said Suzanne Klenk, Financial Educator and Coach with Community Relations for WSECU. 鈥淚t鈥檚 partnerships like this that allow us to do more鈥.to be more. Through this partnership, we are not just a financial institution. We are a community partner and advocate for equity in education.鈥
麻豆区 Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to building an outstanding future for students. To learn how you can make a difference with a gift, visit the Forever Green webpage or email foundation@evergreen.edu.
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