Western Piedmont Foundation to Launch Legacy Fund at Event
The Western Piedmont Foundation will host a “Light the Path” Legacy Fund event from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, on WPCC’s main campus at 1001 Burkemont Ave. in Morganton.
This event is an introduction to the creation of a special Legacy Fund, set up in conjunction with the college’s 60th “diamond” anniversary. The fund is designed to address barriers students face as they work toward their educational goals. Lisa Miller, the foundation’s executive director, said donations made to the new fund will be matched dollar-for-dollar (up to $150,000), thanks to a special “Strengthening Institutions” U.S. Department of Education grant. This is an exciting opportunity to build a strong fund to assist students for the future.
Hosts and speakers throughout the event include Dr. Joel Welch, WPCC president; Gerson Mendoza-Hipolito, president of the Student Government Association; and Debbie Sigmon, chair of the board of directors of the Western Piedmont Foundation, the nonprofit organization that supports the college through fundraising efforts.
In addition, attendees of the “Light the Path” event will have the opportunity to learn first-hand from students how the college and opportunities brought about through foundation efforts have transformed their lives. Attendees can pledge while at the event to become part of Western Piedmont Community College’s legacy of serving as a transformational community leader.
Scholarships like this, “allow me to focus more on my academics, as well as relieve the burden and stress of working a 40-plus hour work week while raising a family, and of course, attending classes,” Iris June “Tootsie” Browning Endowed Scholarship Fund recipient Nathan Ray said.
“Thank you for contributing to Western Piedmont’s success these last 60 years. Your continued financial support builds the foundation of student success and serves as a way to truly pay it forward and shape the future of our community for the next 60 years,” Miller said.
RSVP online at wpcc.edu/foundation-rsvp or call 828-448-6156.
Donations to the Legacy Fund can be made online at www.wpcc.edu/foundation, or by mailing a donation to: Western Piedmont Foundation, 1001 Burkemont Ave., Morganton, NC 28655.