Writer: JUDY JENKINS
Henderson Gleaner

Henderson Community College's 27-month-old "Fulfilling the Promise" major gifts campaign is "going very well."

Lisa Piccolo, HCC chief institutional advancement officer, said this week the effort is moving steadily forward and the campaign is expected to continue at least through the remainder of this year.

Piccolo declined to divulge the amount of money pledged to date, saying that announcement will be made by campaign leaders. The date for that announcement, she said, will be determined by the campaign's executive committee.

"We look forward to sharing our story," she said.

Meanwhile, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System -- whose 16 member schools all are having their own "Fulfilling the Promise" campaigns -- has issued a progress report listing various campaign totals as of June 30, 2005.

At that point, HCC had received pledges to be paid over a six-year period totaling $1,321,936. The total included four pledges of $100,000 or more. Recognized as lead gift donors were Methodist Hospital, $210,000; Ohio Valley National Bank and Preston Family Foundation, $175,000; a local couple who are contributing $100,000, and George Koch Sons Foundation, $100,000.

Piccolo said the campaign coffers have grown since that report was released. She noted that the Ohio Valley National Bank and Preston Family Foundation donation is being matched by Title III federal funds in a multi-year grant received by the school in 2004. The contribution was earmarked for the campaign's Student Scholarship Endowment, and that designation qualifies it for the matching federal money, which has a $360,000 "ceiling."

No specific monetary goal has been set for the campaign, which is headed by local businessman Scott Davis. A pre-campaign feasibility study by a firm specializing in two-year college fundraising programs recommended an initial fund-raising target of $3 million to $3.5 million.

HCC has outlined three campaign objectives:

- A campus Child Development Center intended to meet the needs of students with children, employees of local business and industry, and the community at large. In addition, it will provide a practical learning environment for students pursuing education studies.

- Technology infrastructure advancement that will allow the school to remain current with rapidly changing technology. Students will benefit by being trained on state-of-the-art equipment and taught by faculty with appropriate credentials and expertise. Area businesses and industries are expected to benefit by having access to potential employees who possess advanced skills needed in today's workplace.

- Student access/student success programs and scholarship endowment to meet the needs of an ever-growing enrollment.

KCTCS reports that as of last June 30, the systemwide major gifts campaign had seen more than 8,900 donors giving more than $44 million.

At its seventh annual President's Gala and Benefactors Awards Dinner, KCTCS saluted 38 benefactors to the system, including Henderson resident C. Ron Chapman and George Koch Sons Foundation. Both Chapman and the Koch Sons Foundation reportedly have been strong HCC supporters, not only during major gifts campaigns but also on an ongoing basis.