Kudos to Continuing Ed for Foundation Campaign
Max Queen, left, receives a certificate of appreciation from President K. Ray Bailey for Continuing Education's 100 percent participation in the A-B Tech Foundation's 2004 campaign.
The A-B Tech Foundation received $32,096 in employee contributions for its 2004 Universal Campaign with an overall 71 percent employee participation rate. United Way contributions topped $29,215 with 69 percent employee participation.
The Continuing Education Division was recognized at its retreat Dec. 2 for its 100 percent participation in the A-B Tech Foundation campaign. Every member of Continuing Education's full-time staff and even several members of the part-time staff contributed.
Libby Hodan, Foundation Development Officer, and Anita Metcalf, Executive Director, passed out balloons and kazoos to celebrate the Continuing Education Division's total commitment to the Foundation.
President K. Ray Bailey offered his congratulations. " The goal was to increase the employee participation rate, and we did."
Max Queen, Vice President of Continuing Education, thanked Nancy Troxler and Shelley White for their coordination efforts at the Enka and Asheville campuses. "When Anita told me about it, it wasn't a surprise or a shock to me. The Continuing Education staff have a passion for helping those in need. Their generosity is merely an outward expression of their compassion and willingness to help.
"Shelley White and Nancy Troxler are to be commended in planning the Division events on main campus and at Enka. They encouraged their colleagues to attend one of the Con Ed events, keep an open mind, and participate only if they felt the cause to be worthwhile," Queen said.
Troxler, Coordinator, Technical/Industrial Training, and Division Coordinator for the Enka Campus Campaign said, "We really encourage people to give. There are a couple of things that play in our 100 percent participation in Continuing Education.
"One factor is that within the past four years, three members of the Continuing Education staff have died. All of them were helped by the United Way during either their illness or death," Troxler said. "It's very personal for us."
Mary Hay Gwynn was head of HRD when she died, and a scholarship endowed by her co-workers and mother was put together. "I personally always contribute to the Mary Hay Gwynn Scholarship," said Troxler.
Troxler said that even though the division is very small overall, the dedication is huge. "We just have huge hearts. If the mission of your college is student success, and you come to the campus on a daily basis with that in mind, how can you not contribute to the success of the students who would not be able to attend if they were not scholarship recipients? It doesn't make sense otherwise."
White, Coordinator of Human Resources Development and the campaign division coordinator for the Asheville Campus, agreed with Troxler. "I think it's very important for us as employees to give back, when we can, to the community through the United Way and to the Foundation," she said.
"The scholarships are a big thing. I know a lot of people like to donate to helping those who would not have the finances otherwise. They like to support that," White said.
Congratulations to the Continuing Education Division for achieving this milestone.
Foundation Profiles: PNC Advisors Scholarship
Funding for A-B Tech Foundation Scholarships comes from a variety of sources, and this month's featured students have benefited from the PNC Advisors Scholarship.
Sarah Byrne
Sarah Byrne started to get her degree in Automotive Systems Technology from A-B Tech when she discovered she had a head for math. "I realized that although I loved working on cars, I didn't want to make it my life's work, so I entered the accounting program," she wrote in her scholarship essay. Maintaining a 3.85 GPA, Sarah was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa in October. She works nights, and keeps a full class schedule in hopes of setting a good example of hard work for her five-year-old daughter. She expects to graduate this May.
Sherry Ramsey Jones
Sherry Ramsey Jones went to college at Appalachian State 20 years ago right after graduating from high school. She hoped to have a career in education, but did not do well academically. Later, in 1996 she attempted to attend A-B Tech, but had to go back to work full-time due to financial stress. A fresh start is on the horizon for Sherry. "I have returned to college to begin a new life for myself and my children. With this regained commitment, I am maintaining a high GPA with the intention of becoming a surgical technician," she wrote. Sherry plans to graduate in Summer 2006.
Amanda Kalenian
Amanda Kalenian always loved to learn. She would get up before her mother and get herself ready for school in anticipation. "I can vividly remember all of my grade school teachers who were like second mothers to me," she wrote. Amanda's mother was always working to support her and her brother, as did her mother before her. Amanda was determined to break the cycle of holding down dead-end jobs to barely make ends meet, and missing out on her children's lives. She also plans to be the first woman in her family to receive a college degree. Amanda aims to finish her associate degree in Social Services in Spring 2006.