Inside: Annual Report and Listing of Giving Club Members This Is Truly an Exciting Time for Indian River State College!
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Inside: Annual Report and Listing of Giving Club Members This is truly an exciting time for Indian River State College! For the first time in the history of the College, the 2009 Commencement Ceremony included the presentation of Baccalaureate degrees to Indian River State College (IRSC) graduates. These students paved the path for thousands of future students as IRSC expands its four-year programs in coming years. In 2010, IRSC will celebrate its 50th anniversary as the major resource for postsecondary education and career training in St. Lucie, Indian River, Martin, and Okeechobee counties. As the area transitions to become the Research Coast, IRSC commits its superior faculty and outstanding facilities to help students prepare for careers in emerging fields such as biotechnology, photonics, and robotics. Sitting (L to R): Susanne H. Clemons; Michael L. Adams, First Vice Chair; Keeping pace with the College, the IRSC Foundation is actively raising funds to support these Theodore A. Brown II, Second Vice Chair; Alma Lee Loy new programs with faculty, increased library holdings, and scholarships. In 2008-2009, the IRSC Standing (L to R): Dr. Edwin R. Massey, IRSC President; Ann L. Decker, IRSC Foundation provided more than $3.2 million to IRSC for enhanced facilities and instructional Foundation Executive Director; Frank “Sonny” Williamson Jr.; Edwin Arnowitt; Ruth Ann Vega; Dr. John D. Mallonee; Frank M. Irby; John W. Williams; support, and $1.9 million to help hundreds of students through scholarships. Michael D. Minton; José L. Conrado Not pictured: Joseph P. Lembo, Chair; Current funding cuts at the state level make your charitable gifts crucial in our ability to help students, J. Hal Roberts Jr., Chair, IRSC District Board of Trustees and we thank you for believing in the good work that IRSC is doing for our community. We invite you to learn more about our successes and plans for upcoming initiatives by reviewing the following pages, and we welcome your visit to one of our campuses. Indian River State College Foundation, Inc. 3209 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL 34981 772-462-4786 1-866-792-4772, ext. 4786 toll-free FAX: 772-462-4602 www.irscfoundation.org Edwin R. Massey, Ph.D. Ann L. Decker Email: [email protected] President, IRSC Executive Director, IRSC Foundation Helping Students Prepare For Emerging Careers For many students, scholarship support is vital to their ability to attend college. Each year, the IRSC Foundation awards financial assistance to hundreds of incoming and existing IRSC students. As these young people graduate and enter the workplace, our community improves. With scientific innovation vital for national and regional economic success, IRSC is preparing students with the science and critical thinking skills needed for high-skill, high-wage careers of the future. Through private gifts, the IRSC Foundation provides enhanced learning environments with advanced technology and equipment to help prepare students for emerging careers. Responding to a community need for a local four-year college, IRSC is now accredited to grant Baccalaureate degrees. In May, IRSC President Dr. Edwin R. Massey presented diplomas to the first class of students earning Bachelor’s degrees at IRSC. IRSC students are encouraged to see the connections between areas of study to develop the problem-solving ability needed by new industries with innovative products and services. Here, organic chemistry students convert used cooking oil from the College’s cafeteria to biodiesel fuel to be used in a college van that transports athletes to sporting events. How Can You Help? You don’t have to be wealthy to make a difference in a student’s life. Through the IRSC Foundation, you may establish a scholarship and designate how you wish for the funds to be used. Scholarship assistance may be used for tuition, books, and/or IRSC graduate Jason Fenwick received scholarship support through the IRSC Foundation. Today, he is employed as a Junior Research Technician at living expenses. We’ll administer the scholarship and monitor the recipient’s academic Torrey Pines Molecular Institute. According to Jason, “My scholarship is the progress. You may also choose to establish a permanent endowed scholarship to only reason I was able to do something with my career. I wouldn’t have been able to attend college without it.” continue beyond your lifetime for a minimum of $10,000. Scholarships are a meaningful way to pay tribute to a loved one and help students to achieve their educational goals. 3 Outstanding Learning Environments Benefit Students 4 Private Gifts Enhance Educational Facilities… Helping to prepare tomorrow’s professionals, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) will meet federal guidelines for the LEED Silver Standard for energy conservation. Scheduled for construction in 2010-2011, the CIE will be located at the IRSC Main Campus in Fort Pierce. “Green” Center to foster student innovation and entrepreneurship With state and national incentives to convert renewable energy sources, the green industry offers a wide range of attractive business opportunities. To assist entrepreneurs in this and other emerging fields such as nanotechnology, photonics and robotics, IRSC is planning a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) to be constructed on the Main Campus. The three-story energy efficient Center will house a virtual incubator, market analysis lab, entrepreneurial development suite and strategic planning suite with support services for fledgling high-tech firms. Home to the College’s Energy Institute, the CIE will feature alternative and nuclear energies laboratories, and a sustainable building design lab for the College’s highly successful Solar Energy program. The IRSC Foundation’s goal is to raise $2 million in private support to enhance the technology and equipment for the CIE. Charitable gifts from individuals, businesses, foundations, and corporations will help us to provide students with a superior High-tech careers require educational facilities with equipment and technology that meet or exceed what graduates will find in learning environment with equipment that meets or exceeds what they will find in their future workplaces. Permanent their workplaces. The IRSC Foundation provides the margin of naming opportunities are available, and major gifts may be pledged for up to five years. excellence needed to create and maintain outstanding learning environments at IRSC. To learn how you can help through an outright or deferred gift, please contact Ann Decker, Executive Director, IRSC Foundation. Creating a Safer Tomorrow… Model Training Complex Prepares Students and Public Safety Professionals Enhanced with gifts from many individuals and businesses, the 50-acre, eight building Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex at Indian River State College is the only facility of its type in the nation. The Complex includes an indoor firing range, crime lab, administration/ classroom building, physical and high liability training building, driving range, fire station, tactical training building, and seven-story fire training tower. Thanks to our generous friends many of whom are pictured below, our community now has an outstanding venue for training law enforcement, fire science, and homeland security professionals. 5 We Celebrate these Successes 6 Thanks to our donors, Board members, and college employees, we collectively achieved many goals in the past year. Our hope is that these accomplishments set the structure for providing better service and resources to IRSC in the years ahead. The following contains the highlights of our achievements. For a detailed listing, please visit www.irscfoundation.org. Alumni Highlights • Selected and recognized Joe and Diane Lembo Located at the IRSC Mueller Campus in Vero Beach, the new Brackett Library is a joint as the 2009 Distinguished Alumni – the first project between IRSC and Indian River County. The IRSC Foundation leveraged private and public funds to make this educational resource a reality. The Brackett Library, named dual recipients since the beginning of the for Vero Beach residents Bob and Sandy Brackett in recognition of their generous support, program in 1988 benefits both IRSC students and the local community. • Hosted 9th Annual Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament at the Vero Beach Country Club Campaign Highlights • Launched the campaign for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), Main Campus • Continued the Lifelong Learning Institute Endowment Campaign Community Highlights • Recognized Frank “Sonny” W. Williamson Jr. as the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year • Sponsored programs, lectures, and cultural events for residents throughout the four counties Educational Facilities Highlights • Dedicated the 50-acre, eight building, state-of-the-art Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex at IRSC’s Main Campus • Constructed the Brackett Library at the IRSC Mueller Campus in Vero Beach through a partnership with Indian River County Faculty Highlights • Awarded three Endowed Teaching Chairs, one Anne R. Snyder Department Chair Excellence Award, and one Harriett Kirk Crago Faculty of the Year Award The prestigious Anne R. Snyder Award annually recognizes faculty members who serve as department chairs. Above, • Continued to provide financial support for additional nursing instructors Dale Hayes, Chair of the Instructional Advisement Department, is congratulated by Dr. Massey. Lifelong Learning Institute at IRSC Highlights • Retained an active membership of