It’s about community!
STATE FAIR COMMUNITY COLLEGE
From the Foundation Executive Director
This past year has been anything but ordinary. The COVID-19 pandemic has made us all adjust to changes and make some sacrifices. State Fair Community College also has been making changes. During this pandemic, our goal has been to keep all who grace our premises safe and healthy while in our learning environments. On March 28, 2020, we had scheduled our annual fundraising gala, Anchors Away Soirée; however, out of concern for the safety of our guests, we postponed the event. The SFCC Foundation special events committee members and our office had made all the preparations and organized our event with hopes that in a few months we could host the event. Well, those few months passed in a blink of an eye and still the outlook did not look any better to hold an in-person gala. Fast forward to December, and it’s time to make a decision about hosting the 2021 gala. It is likely that we, like many other organizations, will do a virtual event. It is our goal to add some
creativity and make this a special and memorable event for those in attendance. So, mark your calendar for March 27, 2021, and watch for announcements. Another challenge presented by the pandemic was the start of our capital campaign. Even though our timing may not have been perfect, we decided to launch, Stronger Workforce, Greater Community, a capital campaign to raise money to build the Olen Howard Workforce Innovation Center. This facility is needed to expand lab and classroom spaces for training in welding and precision machining and other programs such as industrial maintenance, robotics, logistics, leadership and supervisory skills, and apprenticeships. Our goal is to raise $10 million. In December 2019, the college was awarded a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant as part of the Workforce Training Initiative to be used toward our campaign goal. The SFCC Foundation was also granted $500,000 in Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) tax credits to help fund the new
center. Additionally, we received a significant donation from the family of the late Olen Howard, which is why the center bears his name. The new facility will greatly enhance workforce training to meet current and future state and local demands while freeing up space in the Fielding Technical Center to create a Center for Excellence. Will you please join us as we continue to move forward? Together we can expand our beautiful campus, advance our programs and proceed toward a Stronger Workforce, Greater Community. I hope as you read our latest Marathon edition that you will understand that we know that this world is ever changing. State Fair Community College is at the forefront making changes for the betterment of all and making you proud to be an alumni and friend of SFCC! I wish you all good health in this upcoming year. To learn more about the capital campaign and the Olen Howard Workforce Innovation Center, visit www.sfccmo.edu/OHWIC.
www.sfccmo.edu
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