The Northwest State Community College Foundation continues to do amazing things in the community, and our students are the ultimate beneficiaries. Led by Executive Director Robbin Wilcox and Board Chair Peter Beck, the NSCC Foundation has a 25-person Board of Directors from various industries throughout the College’s six-county service area. The level of expertise and experience on the Foundation Board is significant, and all members serve with a passion to help students and the community through the power of an NSCC education. They truly put students first.
Fundraising during a pandemic
The Foundation investment funds are currently worth $7 million, with the Foundation providing over $7 million in gifts to the College over the last 12 years. Fundraising is a key component to a Foundation’s success, along with judicious investments. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation had to reinvent itself and how it did business, as face-to-face events were largely replaced with virtual options. However, the dedication of the NSCC Foundation never wavered, and they continued their remarkable success despite the constraints of the pandemic. “We were unable to host our signature event – the Green Carpet Event – in-person as we have normally done it the past few years,” said Robbin Wilcox. “Despite that bump in the road, we continued to cultivate great relationships with individual and corporate donors, and our investments continued to provide positive dividends,” Wilcox concluded. Wilcox noted that through a Community Engagement focus they began to look at opportunities to partner with Chambers and local nonprofits sponsoring outdoors events like community golf scrambles to continue to effectively network and aid the fundraising process.
Eclipsing $1 million dollars
In January 2022, the NSCC Foundation reached a long-standing milestone by issuing a check to Northwest State in the amount of $1,133,450. These funds go mostly to student scholarships, as well as other miscellaneous College initiatives. For our learners, it also means that for the first time in school history, Northwest State will award over $1 million in Foundation scholarships in April 2022. “It will be a tremendous honor to award over one million dollars in Foundation scholarships to NSCC students this spring,” said Peter Beck. “The hard work of the Foundation Board, along with the generosity of the community, will come together to help more students with more scholarship dollars than ever before. That is an amazing feat, and we are so grateful,” Beck noted.
Getting back to “normal”
As COVID-19 restrictions begin to relax across the region, and on campus, it means that the Foundation can continue its work in the community, while getting back to some of its standard fundraising events like the Green Carpet Event in May. “The Green Carpet Event is the Foundation’s major event of the year, where we recognize ‘Making a Difference Award’ winners and raise needed funds for scholarships. 54% of NSCC students receive scholarships or other forms of financial aid, and the need continues to grow,” noted Wilcox. The Foundation is eager to host these events in person in 2022, and does so with great appreciation.
About the NSCC Foundation
The NSCC Foundation was established in 1978 to provide support for the students, people and programs of NSCC. For nearly 40 years, the Foundation has remained true to its mission to enhance, expand and sustain Northwest State so that NSCC can continue to fulfill its mission of creating opportunities for transformational learning. The NSCC Foundation works diligently to raise much-needed funds for educational opportunities that directly and indirectly impact students.
For more information on the NSCC Foundation, or to donate to student scholarships, please visit NorthwestState.edu/foundation.
