Nebraska Ag Connection - WNCC Foundation Exceeds $8.95 million Campaign Goal

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WNCC Foundation Exceeds $8.95 million Campaign Goal
Nebraska Ag Connection - 01/19/2017

Western Nebraska Community College Foundation announced that it has met and exceeded the $8.95 million goal for its WNCC Works: Expanding the Possibilities Campaign. In just 21 months, a total of $9.6 million has been contributed to support student success at WNCC. It is the first-ever major gifts, comprehensive campaign initiated by the WNCC Foundation.

More than 1,100 donors provided in excess of 3,500 gifts over the course of the campaign. Equally impressive were the number of WNCC employees who participated (96 percent) and 100 percent participation by WNCC Foundation Board of Directors and the WCCA Board of Governors.

"This campaign is a testament to the generosity of the panhandle and the ways in which we impact the lives of our students every day here at WNCC," said Jennifer Rogers, campaign manager and WNCC Foundation Executive Director. "WNCC is integral for the future growth of the region and promotes workforce success, student success, and community enrichment. Thanks to our wonderful donors, we will be able to do even more by way of program expansions, student scholarships, and facility improvements."

Launched in conjunction with the 90th Anniversary of WNCC, the campaign focused on three initiatives: workforce success, student success, and community enrichment.

The campaign will assist with program improvements, such as the Alliance Campus Powerline Construction & Maintenance program expansion, as well as the development of the New and Expanding Programs fund, which will assist WNCC in creating new programs, such as the recently developed Applied Agriculture Certificate option for students that will launch in the fall of 2017.

In addition, more than $2 million was raised through endowed scholarship funds alone to help support greater access for students at WNCC. Finally, the Scottsbluff Campus will launch a major renovation project in the fall of 2017 to include the expansion and renovation of the Performing Arts Center, Student Success Center, and Learning Resource Center, as well as additional SMART Classroom enhancements.

"This is a milestone occasion for both the Foundation and the college," said WNCC President Todd Holcomb. "The Expanding the Possibilities Campaign leadership team have made a profound difference in the way we will be able to impact our students in the coming years. We thank the Foundation Board of Directors, the WNCC Foundation, and especially our many supporters in the communities who have embraced and generously supported our college."

WNCC Foundation Board President Howard Olsen echoed Holcomb's sentiments. "Every business, organization, and resident is impacted by the power of higher education in the panhandle," said Olsen. "The Expanding the Possibilities Campaign may be over, but our efforts to change lives and our communities for the better continue on."

For 90 years, WNCC has been educating residents of Nebraska's Panhandle. With campus locations in Alliance, Scottsbluff, and Sidney, WNCC offers possibilities for students, the regional business community, and other partners throughout its 12.5-county service area. It offers over 70 degrees, diplomas, or certificates.

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