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| CVTC President, Dr. Craig McDaniel, addresses guests at CVTC’s Education For Work Foundation Campaign kickoff reception. |
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Coosa Valley Technical College Kicks Off $2.5 Million Foundation Campaign
Coosa Valley Technical College (CVTC) Foundation celebrated the kickoff of the $2.5 million Education For Work Foundation campaign on February 6, 2007, at Coosa Country Club in Rome, Georgia.
The Education For Work campaign is a five year investment plan designed to enhance economic development through workforce education in Floyd, Gordon, and Polk counties. Co-Chairs for the campaign include for Floyd County, Otis Raybon, Jr., News Publishing Company; for Gordon County, Cathy Harrison, City of Calhoun; and for Polk County, J.W. LeGrande, Piedmont Furniture.
Coosa Valley Technical College Foundation is well on the way to reaching its goal of raising $2.5 million through the college’s Foundation. With over $1.7 million already raised through community donations from local and international business and industry, local government, healthcare organizations, and privately owned small businesses, CVTC hopes, not only to meet their goal, but to exceed it.
“People have come forward at levels of giving we never imagined,” stated CVTC President, Dr. Craig McDaniel. “CVTC has never done a community wide campaign, and we honestly didn’t know what to expect. We set a goal of $2.5 million, and in less than a year we are already at $1.7 million. Because of the generosity of this community, we expect to meet, exceed, and go way beyond our goal.”
Coosa Valley Technical College’s Foundation was created in 1989 to allow the college to be responsive to the needs of the community and the economy. The main functions of CVTC’s Foundation are to provide financial assistance to students, fund equipment purchases, assist in marketing and public relations efforts, and help provide funding for new programs. A 501(c)(3) corporation, the Foundation provides a way for services to be delivered when state and federal resources are not available.
The money raised through the Education For Work campaign will go toward four specific areas of need including high school initiatives, new program development, library resources, and financial assistance to students.
High school initiatives are a major priority at Coosa Valley Technical College. CVTC is working with the Floyd County, Rome City, Gordon County, Calhoun City, and Polk County school systems to increase students’ awareness of the “real world” job market and the level of education and skills necessary to obtain a quality job after high school. Through Project REAL, the college has placed career transition specialists in the high schools. With money raised through the campaign, CVTC plans to add additional career transition specialists and purchase additional hardware, software, and career education materials.
Coosa Valley Technical College continuously develops new programs of study to help meet the needs of students and the community. The start-up costs involved in beginning a new program, such as purchasing equipment, constructing and renovating facilities, and developing land, are often way beyond the funding available from the state. The money received through the campaign will help CVTC launch new programs including Commercial Truck Driving, Culinary Arts, and Aviation/Avionics Maintenance.
The third area that campaign funds will be used for is CVTC’s libraries. CVTC has staffed libraries on all three campuses and offers resources to current students, graduates, and employees. Each year an effort is made to enhance and add to the services the library provides. Money raised will help purchase 6,540 new volumes for CVTC’s libraries.
The Education For Work campaign funds will also be used in the crucial area of financial assistance for CVTC students. The cost of tuition, fees, and textbooks is often more than students can afford. Some students are unemployed, working only part-time, or struggling to make ends meet. CVTC’s Foundation provides scholarships and financial assistance for students who do not have the financial resources for a college education. Each year, approximately $18,000 in financial assistance is provided for students who have expenses that are not covered by the HOPE Grant. Through the campaign, CVTC plans to increase funding available to students in need.
The faculty and staff at Coosa Valley Technical College believe so strongly in the mission of the Foundation, that they have given generously to the Foundation for the past six years. This year, they exceeded their in-house goal of $30,000.
“We are able to do and plan to do things we never thought possible because of this campaign. We are grateful for the support we have received, not only from faculty and staff, but from the community as well,” said McDaniel. “Nothing better is happening in education right now than the things being done at the technical colleges in Georgia.”
For more information on Coosa Valley Technical College’s Education For Work campaign, or to make a donation, contact Diane Blair, Executive Director of the Foundation at 706-295-6959.
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