News

SIDNEY – The Montcalm Community College Foundation has pledged a lead gift of $1 million in support of the college’s “Transforming Lives, Empowering People” major gifts campaign, which is just getting under way at the major gifts level.

The “Transforming Lives, Empowering People” campaign is designed to allocate $7 million to developing programs to help students gain access and be successful at MCC.

MCC Foundation President Jane Anderson Beach said the Foundation is pleased to support the campaign at this level.

“The general consensus of the Foundation Board members was that we want to show how much the Foundation believes in and works with the college in supporting its mission of transforming lives through quality education. The Foundation’s pledge is a great way to demonstrate our support,” Anderson Beach said.

In addition to building needs, Anderson Beach said there is great support at the Foundation level for the student success and scholarship initiatives also included in the campaign.

“Foundation Board members really want students to be successful and are supportive of additional measures to help them,” Anderson Beach said.

The “Transforming Lives, Empowering People” campaign includes six major initiatives that will enhance and expand student access, MCC’s Sidney campus and positively impact our community.

The lead initiative is a $5 million renovation of the Kenneth J. Smith Instructional Building. The Smith Building is a major campus destination as it holds more than half of the college’s Sidney campus classroom space, its flagship nursing program, and courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

As one of the college’s original buildings, the Smith Building opened in 1966 and includes classrooms, laboratories and instructors’ offices. Last updated in 1999, the building was quickly approaching a point where it either needed to be renovated or it would deteriorate beyond usefulness.

Upon completion, the Smith Building will be transformed into the college’s Center for Nursing & Health Careers and the Center for STEM Learning. Specialized spaces will include clinical simulation labs, preparation and debriefing rooms, treatment rooms, a clinical testing and training apartment lab, science and biology labs, phlebotomy labs and specialized student learning spaces, as well as the addition of specialized equipment and technology.

MCC President Stacy H. Young, Ph.D., said investments made through the “Transforming Lives, Empowering People” campaign will benefit the community for years to come.

“It is our belief that investing in Montcalm Community College improves the entire community. Educating the students of this county grows the economy of this community and the region,” Dr. Young said.

“In addition to creating modern, professional spaces for teaching and learning, the campaign will help fund educational resources, leading-edge equipment and scholarships to support our students,” Dr. Young added.

In addition to the Smith Building renovation, other campaign initiatives include:

• $500,000 toward a STEM Program Development and Technology Fund for equipment, technology and curriculum to support teaching and learning.
• $500,000 toward First-Generation Scholarships to benefit students who are the first in their family to go to college.
• $250,000 toward Mid-Career Scholarships to benefit middle-income students who do not qualify for financial aid, but also do not have the means to pay cash for college.
• $450,000 toward Program-Specific Scholarships to benefit students in specific program pathways.
• $300,000 toward the MCC Express Conductor Program to provide a point of contact (conductor) to work with students from their first point of contact with the college to the time they enter classes and throughout their time at MCC.

For more information, visit montcalm.edu/mccf or contact MCCF Executive Director Lisa Lund at lisal@montcalm.edu or 989-328-1284.