Foundation Kicks Off Campaign with Lead Gift from Freedom Class of ’75
Established in 1967 as one of the first fund-raising organizations within the North Carolina Community College System, the Western Piedmont Community College Foundation (WPF) is launching the community portion of its Annual Giving Campaign this week.
In a show of support, members of the Freedom High School Class of 1975 are establishing an endowed scholarship to help graduates of Freedom High School purse higher education at Western Piedmont Community College.
The Freedom High School Scholarship Fund will be established in honor and memory of Steve Smith, a member of the class of ’75.
“We are a close knit group of friends and when we started planning our reunion without Steve, we all agreed we wanted to do something to honor our friend,” said Sherri McGimsey, a local Morganton resident and member of the reunion planning team. “But we also wanted to do something that makes a difference in people’s lives, continuing Steve and his wife Alice’s commitment to education.”
Smith grew up in Morganton, graduated from Freedom High School and then attended North Carolina State University where he earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering. He worked as a professional engineer for Duke Energy and gave his weekends to teach GRE and GMAT preparation at Queen’s University in Charlotte.
“I am very proud this scholarship was established in his memory,” said Alice. “We hope all of Freedom High School’s alumni will continue to support this scholarship.”
This gift kicks off the community portion of the Western Piedmont Foundation Annual Giving Campaign, an effort led by the Foundation’s 15-member volunteer board of directors. The campaign will raise support for student scholarship, professional and community development opportunities funded by the Western Piedmont Foundation.
“The future is bright at Western Piedmont and we are excited to start another campaign that will support our students, College employees and the community we serve,” said Joey Wakefield, president of the WPF board and campaign chair.
“The commitment to our campaign so far is strong and remarkable,” added Wakefield. “This year 100 percent of our Foundation Board of Directors, 100 percent of our Western Piedmont Community College Trustees and 98 percent of the college’s full time employees have confirmed their belief in the impact of the Foundation by giving their own hard earned money to support the campaign this year. This shows a remarkable commitment to improving lives and promoting growth in our community and should give donors confidence that their gifts to the Foundation will be used in the best way possible.”
Due to the generosity of donors last year, the Foundation provided more than $110,000 in support to students seeking financial assistance and $35,000 in professional and community development programming. In addition, gifts to the Foundation made it possible to expose more than 2,500 citizens to education-based community events including the Fall Speakers Forum/Ervin Constitutional Issues Program, performances from Western Piedmont Symphony resident quartets, and the Exploring Joara Archeological Field School at the Berry dig site in Burke County.
To support the Foundation’s Annual Giving Campaign or to donate to the newly established Freedom High School Scholarship Fund, visit wpcc.edu/foundation to give online or to locate the Foundation address to mail contributions.
For more information on the Western Piedmont Foundation or giving to the 2015 Annual Giving Campaign , contact Atticus Simpson via email at asimpson@wpcc.edu or 828-448-3120 or Jessica Epley via email at jepley@wpcc.edu or 828-448-3122.