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THE REASON WE REACH ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 AND 2019–20 Valencia College is fueled by a powerful belief. We believe we can be better tomorrow than we are today. As individuals. As a college. As a community. And we won’t let anything stand in our way. Together, we stretch our limits. We strive for new horizons. We reach beyond barriers. Why? To build a future where anything is possible, and the path to great potential is open to everyone. LETTER FROM VALENCIA COLLEGE PRESIDENT Valencia College serves as Central Florida’s hub for learning, academic advancement and workforce training. We know that opportunity works. CONTENTS You make opportunities possible for deserving individuals who are working to build better lives for their families. 01 Letter from the President, Valencia College As the college has grown over time — to 76,329 students this year — so too has our Central 02 Letter from the President, Valencia College Foundation Florida community. Although we’ve added campuses and programs, some critical factors have remained consistent, including our deep commitment to learning and open access to learning. 03 Letter from the Board Chair, Valencia College Foundation At Valencia College, we believe that anyone can learn anything under the right conditions. We 06 A True Survivor in Tireless Pursuit of her Dream also believe that it is our job to provide those optimum conditions for learning in partnership with our students. 08 Scholarships by the Numbers Our faculty and staf work to level the playing ield for students of all backgrounds, designing a 10 Scholarships: Short Success Stories place where every person can thrive and complete college. Consequently, Valencia College has one 11 Donors Making a Difference of the highest completion rates among 1,200 community colleges nationally. Institutions of higher education have historically provided a bridge to the American Dream. 14 Scholarships: Mary S. Collier Distinguished Graduates Valencia College’s role is to ensure equity in access and completion; boost economic mobility in 16 Scholarships: Horizon Scholars Central Florida; and provide the training needed to earn a living wage. 18 Our Donors Make Every Dream Possible hese goals underpin the college’s growth and development. As Valencia College moves forward, we will continue to focus on ensuring that students from 34 Downtown Campus and Walt Disney World every neighborhood and of every background have the opportunity to succeed. Your continuing Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality philanthropy will help ensure our mission is possible. 36 Endowed Chairs Reach Beyond the Ordinary hank you for supporting our Valencia College students. 40 Peace and Justice Institute Sincerely, 42 Heavy Metal Legends Help Students Forge Bold Futures 43 Lockheed Martin Collaboration 44 Property Management Graduates 45 Art of Tomorrow SANDY SHUGART, Ph.D. VALENCIA COLLEGE PRESIDENT Numbers based on the college’s fiscal years 2018–19 and 2019–20 Thank you to Steven Sobel for the care and attention that went into the photography for this report. ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 AND 2019–20 1 LETTER FROM LETTER FROM VALENCIA COLLEGE FOUNDATION PRESIDENT VALENCIA COLLEGE FOUNDATION BOARD CHAIR Our donors make a remarkable diference in the lives of our students. hank you for helping them During my time as foundation board chair, I’ve been grateful to see the consistency and to earn degrees and certiications that allow them to build the lives of their dreams. Whether it is commitment of our foundation donors, who include Valencia College alumni, faculty, staf and through advocacy, service, philanthropy or all three, your contributions matter. students. he people we serve also give back in so many ways. Since the 2000–01 academic year, you have donated $69.7 million. he foundation has disbursed Because of your generosity, the foundation has served tens of thousands of deserving students over $47 million for scholarships, endowed faculty chairs, programs, equipment and facilities. At the the years and has helped our faculty and staf innovate and enhance learning opportunities. same time, Valencia College’s endowment grew — despite these signiicant disbursements, a mini Scholarships help students earn a certiicate, associate or bachelor’s degree, as well as gain recession and the Great Recession — from $15.8 million to more than $80 million. his has hands-on skills to compete in the workforce. Scholarships ofer our diverse student population dramatically increased our capacity to serve students through a sustainable revenue source. opportunities, including single parents, irst-generation students, international learners, Dreamers For our foundation, the numbers are a means to an end. What is most important are the students and professionals who come to Valencia College to gain new competencies and certiications. whose lives you have transformed. Donations allow students, who never thought it possible, to experience international study abroad Among our most encouraging supporters are foundation board members, including Deb Mears, or the highly sought-after Senef Honors College. Sue Foreman, Jonni Kimberly ’79 and Steve Davis, who have been instrumental leaders. hanks to our donors, Valencia College trains our community’s irst-responders, nurses and other We are expanding our support for the important priorities of student access, student completion healing professionals; hoteliers, hospitality specialists and culinary experts; scientists, researchers and short-term career training through Valencia College’s portfolio of programs that lead to and teachers; architects and builders and engineers; and dancers, musicians, actors and artists. university transfer and new careers. Our short-term, credentialed programs — such as construction and maintenance, advanced Please continue to invest in the future of our students and the entire community. I am grateful for manufacturing, and transportation and logistics — may be completed in a matter of weeks, with your support. We do not take your philanthropy for granted. immediate placement in high-wage, high-demand jobs. hank you, again, for joining the foundation board in transforming the lives of our students and Warmly, their families. Education truly changes lives and makes our Central Florida community a better place to live and work. Warm regards, GERALDINE GALLAGHER, Ph.D., CFRE VALENCIA COLLEGE FOUNDATION PRESIDENT DEB MEARS VALENCIA COLLEGE FOUNDATION BOARD CHAIR 2 VALENCIA COLLEGE FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 AND 2019–20 3 PUSHING THROUGH BARRIERS, WE REACH BRAVELY FOR OUR DREAMS. A TRUE SURVIVOR “ By supporting me, you have told me that IN TIRELESS I made the right decision, and that you PURSUIT OF also see value in my dream.” HER DREAM. Jennifer was always determined to go to college. She battled through a As a teenager in New York City, Jennifer was constantly on the run from an series of obstacles — on a road longer abusive father. In high school, she decided to change her fate. Lying about than she could have imagined — but she her age and background, Jennifer secured a job as a waitress and rented a held fast to her dream. private room. he pressures of being on her own overwhelmed her. Jennifer dropped out of high school, putting her college dreams on the backburner. At 18, Jennifer reclaimed her identity and moved across the country to California for a fresh start. She found work at a bank and spent the next decade working her way up to a supervisory role. hen, her momentum was suddenly derailed by an unidentiied virus, which forced her to be bedridden for a year. After a three-year recovery, Jennifer was desperate to take charge of her life once again. She began researching two-year colleges and found Valencia College, whose high graduation and transfer rates gave her hope. For the irst time in a long time, she felt like her dream of going to college was a possibility again. Jennifer moved to Florida where she worked and volunteered while studying to earn her GED. Teams at Valencia College helped her secure inancial support — and Jennifer never looked back. She graduated from the Senef Honors College with a 4.0 GPA in May of 2020 and plans to transfer to the Florida Institute of Technology to become a clinical psychologist. hough her path hasn’t been an easy one, Jennifer inally sees the inish line and feels conident that a great future is within her reach. JENNIFER, A.A. GENERAL STUDIES CLASS OF 2020 Recipient of the Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholarship, Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship, Seneff Honors College Scholarship, Suzannah Heyward Scholarship and a 2020 FINALIST, Mary S. Collier Distinguished Graduate Award 6 VALENCIA COLLEGE FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 AND 2019–20 7 SCHOLARSHIPS BY THE NUMBERS For some Valencia College students, the path to a college degree is lined with obstacles that can seem impossible to overcome. Scholarships clear the way. 2019 – 20 $2.6M $1,000 2,595 3.2 43% disbursed average scholarship recipients average GPA of scholarship award per recipient recipients are first-generation 2018 – 19 $2.2M $1,000 2,107 3.2 40% disbursed average scholarship recipients average GPA of scholarship award per recipient recipients are first-generation TASTE FOR LEARNING In 2019, Valencia College Foundation celebrated its 10th Taste for Learning fundraiser, an evening of food, wine and spirits paired with an auction. he venue, services and supplies are donated, so 100% of proceeds support Valencia College irst-generation student scholarships. hrough the generosity of our presenting partners Rosen Hotels and Resorts and ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, as well our in-kind donors and sponsors, we are fulilling our promise of fueling educational opportunities for irst-generation Valencia College students. 14 $3.65 MILLION 100% of proceeds go years of impact raised directly to scholarships Numbers based on the college’s fiscal years 2018–19 and 2019–20 8 VALENCIA COLLEGE FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2018–19 AND 2019–20 9 JULIAN, A.A.