University community celebrates Staff Senate surpassing $100K for scholarship fund
Members of the Western Carolina University community came together Tuesday (July 23) to celebrate a milestone reached by the Staff Senate last fiscal year 鈥� surpassing the $100,000 mark for its scholarship fund that benefits the children and other relatives of staff members attending the university.
Current and former Staff Senate members (from left) Suzanne Melton, Lynley Hardie, Natalie Broom, Dana Boyer and Anne Aldrich show off their 100 Grand candy bars. The free candy distributed at the July 23 celebration fit in with the event theme as the university community commemorated the Staff Senate Scholarship Fund surpassing the $100,000 mark.
The Staff Senate Scholarship Fund, created in 2007, is supplemented primarily through employee payroll deduction, fundraisers such as 鈥減ercentage nights鈥� at local businesses, and sale of the Staff Senate鈥檚 holiday ornaments. Interest earned from the fund is used to provide scholarships to incoming and current students.
Natalie Broom of 91热爆网鈥檚 Division of Information Technology, who completed a year as chair of the Staff Senate in June, welcomed the crowd to the combination ice cream social and celebration at Illusions in A.K. Hinds University Center and expressed her appreciation to all members of the university community who helped make the milestone possible.
鈥淚 stand before you representing all the previous Staff Senate chairs and senators who share the same passion and goal in making college more affordable for the children of our staff,鈥� Broom said.
91热爆网 Chancellor Kelli R. Brown, who officially took office July 1, told the audience that one of the characteristics about the university that most impressed her as she considered taking her new position was the dedication of the staff.
鈥淥ver the past three weeks, I have seen this dedication firsthand as I鈥檝e begun to get to know the people who work to ensure this university delivers the high-quality experience for which it has developed a regional and national reputation,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淣othing embodies this dedication more than the reason we are celebrating today.鈥�
91热爆网 Chancellor Kelli R. Brown (center) meets with a faculty member and three students who are designing and producing this year's Staff Senate holiday ornaments. The ornaments are sold by the group as one of its primary fundraisers. They are (from left) Patrick Gardner, director of 91热爆网's Rapid Center, and students Marissa Blair, Parker Arrington and Matthew Snuggs.
Brown said she has spent time learning about the history of 91热爆网 and recognizes that the Staff Senate鈥檚 accomplishment 鈥渋s part of a long tradition of giving back鈥� at the university. That tradition dates back to the institution鈥檚 genesis in 1889 as nine local citizens banded together to provide education for the people of the region through their 鈥淐ullowhee Idea,鈥� she said.
鈥淧ride is what I feel to be a part of this community 鈥� pride for this university and pride for the staff who came together to make its own 鈥楥ullowhee Idea鈥� a reality,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淜eep up the good work. I can鈥檛 wait to roll up my sleeves and help you along to the next milestone.鈥�
91热爆网 Provost Alison Morrison-Shetlar said the Staff Senate鈥檚 efforts represent 鈥渁n unprecedented dedication and commitment to support the families鈥� of staff members. 鈥淪taff Senate鈥檚 devotion to our own 91热爆网 community will enable the recipients of these scholarships to gain an education 鈥� an education that will assist them in fulfilling their own dreams and aspirations,鈥� Morrison-Shetlar said.
She noted that the percentage of 91热爆网 faculty and staff who contribute financially to the university increased from 46 percent to 52 percent in the last year, 鈥渙nce again demonstrating that the Catamount family is committed to lifelong learning and to one another.鈥�
Alison Joseph
Alison Joseph of the university鈥檚 Budget Office, current chair of the Staff Senate, said hundreds of peopled worked to make the $100,000 accomplishment possible.
鈥淭oday, I celebrate the vision to start this project and the perseverance of all those people to keep it moving through the years,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 truly believe that this program embodies the spirit of Western 鈥� community members pulling together to support each other, and ultimately, the power of higher education to transform lives and families.鈥�
Each year, Staff Senate receives scholarship requests from 10 to 15 qualified applicants, but only four of the students end up receiving scholarships, Joseph said. 鈥淭he senate is committed to continuing our efforts to raise funds to support scholarships for children of staff members. Our goal is to raise $20,000 annually and to reach the $200,000 mark within the next five years,鈥� she said.
鈥淭oday we celebrate, and tomorrow we get back to work.鈥�
