Creating a culture of philanthropy is something the staff of the Truckee Meadows Community College Foundation practices every day. This culture carries beyond the TMCC Foundation to include faculty and staff across the College.
Employee donors contribute in various areas through payroll deduction, including establishing scholarships to support students. Three of those scholarships include the James Channing Welding Scholarship; the Scally Philosophy Scholarship Endowment; and the Progress in Public Health Award.
The James Channing Welding Scholarship was started by Jill Channing, Dean of the Liberal Arts Division and her partner, Alison Maddux, in honor of James Channing to support students in TMCC’s Welding Program. This $500 award is given annually, with preference given to a female student in the Welding Program.
The Scally Philosophy Scholarship Endowment was created by Christina Scally and Dr. Thomas Cardoza, Chair of the Humanities Department, and Dr. Cheryl Cardoza, English professor, in memory of John Scally, who was the chair of the Humanities Department and Vice President of Academic Affairs. The scholarship was established to award to one student annually with a minimum of $500 per award. The scholarship was initially created to honor all of the wonderful contributions John made during his time at TMCC. Dr. Thomas Cardoza said, “John Scally set a very high standard for TMCC faculty. He was highly intelligent, hardworking, totally dedicated to the college and to the department, and always willing to extend his kindness and generosity to those around him. As the current department chair, I now sit every day in the office John occupied when I was hired, and I often think about him as I go about my daily work. His example inspires me to try my best to equal his performance, and to make the Humanities Department a place where each person who visits, including students, staff, faculty, or guests, feels welcomed, supported and valued.”
The Progress in Public Health Award was created by Dr. Melissa Deadmond, Associate Dean of Assessment and Planning, to support a student studying Community Health Science. The $1,500 scholarship will be given annually to one qualifying student who is currently taking at least three credits, or has completed at least three credits, within the field. “[Community Health] is something I am passionate about, which is what prompted me to go back to school to get my Masters in Public Health (MPH) and create this scholarship. I want students to recognize this important facet of health and encourage them to consider it in addition to traditionally thought of positions in health care,” Deadmond said.
Faculty and staff giving goes beyond creating scholarships. Howard Craig, who works in Testing Services, has been giving to the College for many years, specifically to the Emergency Resource Fund. Craig had initially created a fund several years ago, but eventually decided to create the Emergency Resource Fund. The committee works with programs such as Wizard’s Warehouse and is working on creating housing options to assist students with finding short-term housing. Craig said he has chosen to give to this fund “because I was helped by a similar fund when I was a student and I plan to continue giving even after retirement.”
These are just a few examples of the commitment faculty and staff show to TMCC. The TMCC Foundation is very grateful for the continued commitment of TMCC’s faculty and staff who give at various levels and by contributing through payroll deduction or a one-time gift. TMCC students would not be as successful as they are without the backing of our employee donors.
For more information about payroll deduction or to learn about creating a scholarship, visit the TMCC Foundation.