KALAMAZOO ? The deadline to buy tickets for the Kalamazoo Valley Community College fund-raiser for scholarships, and hear keynote speaker John Brown, CEO of Stryker Corp., is May 26.
The program, called Opportunities for Education, is the KVCC Foundation’s second event to boost scholarship dollars. Brown will speak about Lessons Learned at the foundation’s dinner May 31 at the Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites.
Brown’s resume includes taking Stryker from annual sales of $22.7 million in 1977 to nearly $5 billion in 2006. Now semi-retired as non-executive chairman of Stryker’s board.
The KVCC Foundation was formed in 1980 and has accumulated nearly $8 million in assets. Its mission is to enhance educational opportunities and the learning environment at the college by supporting the academic, literary and scientific activities of KVCC students and faculty. Its assists the college’s Honors Program, minority and non-traditional students through scholarships and awards grants that promote innovative approaches to learning.
In the current academic year, the foundation was able to assist almost 400 students through scholarships amounting to $200,500 that covered not only tuition, fees, books and supplies, but also child-care and transportation costs that students face in pursuing a degree or a new career.
Steve Doherty, director of development for KVCC, said more than 160 tickets have been sold and there is limited seating. Tickets are $95 each. A corporate sponsorship for a table of eight is available for $1,200.
“Because KVCC’s tuition is the lowest among the state’s 28 community colleges and fees are practically non-existent,” Doherty said, “scholarship dollars take students a very, very long way toward their goals. We want to help even more in the coming years, now that state and federal sources of scholarships are either drying up or are in jeopardy because of budget cuts.”
For more information, telephone Doherty at (269) 488-4442.
