RICHMOND – The Virginia Community College System and Chancellor Glenn DuBois presented The Harvest Foundation with the 14th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy in Richmond on April 16. The foundation was nominated for the award by Patrick Henry Community College.
The Harvest Foundation was recognized along with two dozen other individuals, families, and businesses from around Virginia for their exceptional support of Virginia’s Community Colleges. The awards were presented at a luncheon sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education. As part of the award, each college will be given funds for the Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship, to be named in honor of the college’s 2019 Chancellor’s Award recipient.
“It is an honor to receive this recognition from Virginia’s Community Colleges,” said Allyson Rothrock, president of The Harvest Foundation. “Investing in education is a top priority for Harvest that moves our entire community forward. We’re proud to partner with Patrick Henry Community College, a vital resource in our region for higher education and workforce training.”
The Harvest Foundation has invested $8.9 million in programming at PHCC over the past two years. A $3.1 million grant, announced in 2017, created the SEED Fund. The three-year pilot program makes the first two years of college free of charge for all residents of Martinsville and Henry County graduating from high school and homeschool.
A $5.8 million grant, announced in 2018, focuses on satisfying local workforce needs and providing students with the right skills for credentials and sustainable careers. It also develops a partnership with Sovah Health to create a Clinical Simulation Lab for Nursing Education, located at the Sovah Health-Martinsville facility.
DeWitt House, senior program officer at The Harvest Foundation, said working with PHCC enables Harvest to address an integral piece of Martinsville-Henry County’s growing economy.
“PHCC remains committed to developing the local workforce and breaking down barriers that will sustain the work,” House said. “We have been thoroughly impressed with the programming at the college and how the community has embraced the SEED Fund. We look forward to seeing how many lives we can impact in our community with the investment in education and workforce training at PHCC.”
Officials at PHCC echoed the importance of the SEED Fund and its success in Martinsville and Henry County.
“The economic ripple effect that our community will feel from this one generous donation will be profound,” says PHCC’s President Dr. Angeline Godwin. “Through the SEED Fund and the generosity of the Harvest Foundation, the doors have been thrown open for the young men and women in our community who never dreamed college could be in their future.”
Now in its 14th year, the Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy recognizes outstanding leaders who have helped support Virginia’s Community Colleges and their respective foundations. This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders contributed a combined total of more than $18 million dollars to Virginia’s Community Colleges.