4/21/2005 Madisonville Messenger

Madisonville Community College ranked 33rd nationally among all two-year colleges in the amount of private gifts received during academic year 2004, according to the Council for Aid to Education.

During 2004, MCC received just over $1.05 million, one of only two colleges in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to top $1 million. This is the third time in the past decade that MCC has achieved a national ranking in development, making the Top 25 for two-year colleges in 1996 and 2000.

Dr. Judy Rhoads, MCC president, said the total reflects the hard work of many people, especially college volunteers and members of the Madisonville College Foundation.

Over 120 volunteers, board members, foundation members and employees have helped us create an effective campaign structure, she said. All community phases of the campaign have been very active since last spring, and we are seeing tremendous results because of these individual efforts.

Since 1989, the college has raised over $14 million.

Development Director John Peters said the cash total was derived mainly through payments of pledges to the Fulfilling the Promise gifts campaign.

Our endowment initiatives have shown donors that we are serious about the permanence of our campaign outcomes,he said. We had several wonderful gifts to different endowment areas during 2004, mainly to our School Counts work force program, gifts in support of our math/science initiative, and especially major endowment gifts to the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts.

The total also includes Russell Badgetts establishment of the Juanita Badgett Performing Arts Endowment and Trover Foundation's continuing support of the nursing programs, Peters said.