I am a long-time friend of Cleveland State, and the main reason I gave was because I don’t want us to miss out on receiving the $25 million grant from the State. This is such a great opportunity to expand and improve our facilities for our future students.
I believe in Cleveland State because for years, the college has enabled local people to experience at least two years of post-high school education at a lesser cost than most four-year universities. Personally, I have a long history with our community college as my first wife taught English there, my second wife is a graduate, both of my children were dual enrollees, and I have taken several courses there myself. Now, we have the opportunity to obtain a very large contribution from the State of Tennessee in order to enhance the learning opportunity for many students into the future. I have given to help the college reach the $2.5 million goal, which the state will match. We are well on our way but, we need the help of the community to reach this goal by July 1, 2018.
We gave to the Community First Campaign to support the potential for $22,500,000 to flow into the College and into our Community.
Cleveland State has been vitally important to Cleveland and Bradley County, as well as to the entire five county region it serves. It has changed lives by virtue of the high quality of the educational opportunities offered throughout its first fifty years of existence; our community has benefited beyond measure by having the college here.
I have witnessed first-hand the difference for good Cleveland State has made in the lives of its students and graduates and wish to see it continue as a premiere state two-year higher educational institution. Actually, it would be in the enlightened self-interests of all of us to support our COMMUNITY college, for we are the community it improves. Cleveland State is indispensable and truly deserves our support.
