TJC Foundation

TJC alumna Sylvia D’Eramo, who will make her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in the coming year, performs in the new Rogers Palmer Performing Arts Center. Grand opening festivities for the new facility are planned for September 2021.

TJC Foundation largest in Texas during 2020!

The Tyler Junior College Foundation has become the largest support organization dedicated to a community college within the State of Texas. Over the last decade, assets have grown by 177% to $87,883,065. Due to generous, ongoing contributions, the Foundation continues to provide needed resources to address priorities of TJC including student scholarships; faculty, facility and program support; capital initiatives to underwrite physical resources; ongoing funding for immediate and emergency needs; and yearly endowment funding to support the College in perpetuity. During the 2020 fiscal year, the Foundation distributed $5,179,283 in support of TJC including $1,947,412 in scholarships.

Campaign for the Performing Arts achieving goal

The new Rogers Palmers Performing Art Center is benefitting from generous support through the Campaign for the Performing Arts. The Campaign is providing $8.1 million in private funding toward costs related to new construction. With 16,500 feet in new space, the once municipal auditorium and classrooms have been transformed into a comprehensive performing arts center to serve TJC and the East Texas community. Launched during 2018, the successful Campaign has been led by a dedicated community steering committee chaired by Mrs. Margaret H. Perkins and Ms. Sheryl Rogers Palmer. The Robert M. Rogers Foundation led the way with a significant $3 million gift, and as a result, generous contributors have helped achieve 99% of the original fundraising goal, with 40% being first-time contributors to the Tyler Junior College Foundation, and 70% being first-time supporters of the arts at TJC. Although construction has been completed, grand opening festivities have been scheduled for September of 2021 due to the pandemic. TJC looks forward to celebrating the opening of the Rogers Palmer Performing Art Center with the entire East Texas community. To enjoy a virtual tour of the design for the facility, please visit tjc.edu/artscampaign.

The impact of the global pandemic resulted in higher financial need than ever before for TJC students. Through various initiatives, more than $328,000 TJC in private funding has been dedicated to TJC NOW to help with emergency and immediate needs. These NOW needs included remote-technology packages so that students were able to complete their coursework during the period the College was closed. Through the Foundation’s TJC NOW fund, the TJC family helped ensure that students could continue and complete their college education.

“Thank you for providing me with a much-needed gift.”

Alma Arriaga, Education Major

“Thank you so much. This will be life changing for me.”

Anthony Holmes, Athletic Training Major

Generosity recognized with national award!

TJC and the Foundation were honored in 2020 with a national award for excellence in fundraising by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). CASE, based in Washington D.C., is a global nonprofit membership association of educational institutions. The organization supports educational professionals and uses the intellectual capital of senior practitioners to build capacity and capability around the world. The College and the Foundation were honored for overall performance in fundraising and were among eight institutions of higher education in the State of Texas that were recognized nationally during 2020. “The College and Foundation benefit from the extraordinary generosity of the East Texas community. This award recognizes the continuing commitment of contributors to the College, as well as student and community success,” said Mitch Andrews, TJC vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the Foundation. “It also honors the leadership of the Foundation board and their dedication to building an organization that has become a strategic partner for TJC.”

Tyler Junior College Foundation Board of Directors

Executive Committee Officers

Mr. Billy E. Hibbs Jr., Chair Mr. Andy G. Navarro, Vice Chair Mr. Tom Seale, Treasurer Dr. Sherilyn Willis, Secretary

Mrs. Marilyn Abegg-Glass Mrs. Barbara Bass Ms. Joyce Buford Mr. Jeff Buie Mr. Kevin B. Eltife Mrs. Amy Faulconer Mrs. Annette Findley Mrs. Martha I. (Rusty) Fletcher Mr. John E. (Ric) Freeman Mr. Lee R. Gibson Mrs. LaVerne Gollob Mrs. Verna K. Hall Mrs. Billie B. Hartley Mrs. Laura M. Hyde Mr. Jim Lestor Dr. Paul N. Latta D.D.S. Mr. David McCullough Mr. Melvin B. Lovelady Mr. Joseph Z. Ornelas Ms. Sheryl Palmer Mr. James I. Perkins Mrs. Anne Rhodus Mr. Sam Roosth Mr. Ted Walters

Board of Directors Emeritus Mr. Harold Beaird Dr. Samuel D. Houston Mrs. Nancy Lunceford Mrs. Eleanor A. Stringer*

*deceased