DCTC Faculty and Staff Step Up for Scholarships

Donations to the DCTC Foundation continue to grow

Faculty and staff at Dakota County Technical College believe in student scholarships. That belief is reflected in their generous support of the DCTC Foundation, which serves as an avenue for gifts and grants that benefit the college and and its student community. Tharan Leopold, executive director of foundation and alumni, reports that donation levels for DCTC staff and faculty reached a new high, with more than 67 percent giving money to support student scholarships, up from 62 percent last year. Ten DCTC employees took advantage of the new, named scholarship option by each donating $1,000 to the Foundation.

“Faculty and staff at our college realize money is tight in today’s economy,” Leopold said. “They know students often have a tough time trying to make ends meet while attending school. Student debt is also something they worry about. The fact that a difficult economy affects everyone on our campus makes their generosity all the more remarkable.”

Leopold went on to say that the Foundation receives nearly $2,000 from staff and faculty each pay period for a total that will top $50,000 by the end of the fiscal year. He noted that faculty frequently donate to support scholarships for students in their own academic programs while staff give to fund general scholarships and emergency grants. As the percentage of campus-wide givers gets larger, the Foundation can make a stronger case when requesting donations and support from external sources. One hundred percent is not an unreachable goal in Leopold’s view.

“We have a vibrant, caring group of people working at DCTC,” he said. “They believe in our college mission, Education for Employment, and they have both the professionalism and compassion to make sure our students reach their personal, academic and career goals.”

About the DCTC Foundation

Established in 1983 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the DCTC Foundation is governed by a board of directors with up to 18 members. Since its inception, the Foundation has generated more than $3.2 million in financial assistance for students while building a general endowment fund and establishing private endowment funds.