Being a full-time college student can mean blood, sweat and tears in the best of times, and these are anything but.
Keeping on or giving up can sometimes hang by as slender a thread as having the money to shell out for a textbook. College officials say some cash-strapped students have even been reduced to sleeping in their cars.
That is where the 34-year-old-Green River Community College Foundation comes in. The Foundation pursues a number of goals in support of the college, most of them tied to student scholarships.
Since February, college volunteers, employees and supporters have raised funds for the Foundation at campus events as varied as magic shows and silent auctions.
Jacob Chuol, 21, knows what a difference those efforts can make.
Chuol, who came to the United States from The Sudan in 1995 at age 5, began his studies at GRCC at the end of 2007 before financial problems forced him to drop out. Determined, he reapplied in the winter quarter of 2008. He filled out the forms for financial aid and applied for a scholarship through the GRCC Foundation.
Financial aid was three months late, but the scholarship money got him through that critical first quarter.
“It really helped me go back to school that quarter,” said Chuol, who hopes to major in business. “Besides the financial aid dilemma, the scholarship also motivated me that going to school shouldn’t be stopped because of financial problems. There are people out there willing to help out.”
Chuol noted that students have many complications in their lives besides school.
“This helps them continue their dream. It’s a stepping stone that helps them move forward,” Chuol said.
This academic year, 162 students received scholarships, said Beth Gatzke, a Foundation development specialist who coordinates the scholarship program.
On Friday the Grateful Gators, one of three employee volunteer teams totaling more than 60 people, held a silent auction in the GRCC Welcome Center to raise $70,000 for the GRCC Foundation’s new Student Assistance Fund for Emergencies (SAFE).
“It helps students at the lower end of the economic spectrum who run into a crisis,” said Matthew Swenson, a development specialist for the Foundation. “It may be as little as $50 to purchase a textbook. For them, $50 can make the difference whether they get a college degree or not. In this economic climate, it’s definitely a concern for many students. We created this new fund to help address this issue.”
Teams have planned and implemented at least 10 different events during the past month to raise awareness and donations from their colleagues in support of the GRCC Foundation.
“We’re confident that our goal to raise over $70,000 for the year has been achieved,” said Swenson. “While the employee campaign is actively promoted on campus for only a few short weeks every year, our fundraising goal is annual because most employees donate by having a set amount deducted from each paycheck. This helps employees give generously to the fund of their choice without incurring an undue financial burden.”
Swenson added that this year’s success was unexpected owing to the present economic climate and budgetary cuts that affect GRCC.
“What became clear is that Green River employees want to help students weather these tough times and recognize that such assistance is needed now more than ever,” Swenson said.
“Students are our business,” said Kathi Anderson, director of GRCC’s Tutoring and Resource Center. “It’s all about giving back to the community. The hope is that someday they too can give back to the community.”
