LBCC Foundation Director's Letter: September

Dear community,

As I write this column, I realized that it has been just over a year since I joined the Foundation as the Executive Director. It has been a tremendous year of growth and learning. I am proud of the work we have accomplished as a team, with the invaluable support of our community, to continue to offer support to our students! Your involvement and support make us all proud of what we have achieved together.

The new academic year brings opportunities for us in the Foundation. The fall scholarship cycle opens for students on September 25 and is available to all students enrolled in credit classes. With over $200,000 available to award, the impact will be long-lasting for the recipients. LBCC Foundation scholarships support expenses beyond tuition and fees; we are able to help relieve the burden of living expenses and childcare costs. Our emergency fund response also keeps our students enrolled and focused on their educational goals. Because of the generosity of our donors, like many of you, we can cover the expenses of an emergency root canal, a financial blow that could otherwise have forced the student to drop out of class to work extra hours to cover the bill. We remove barriers for our students, and while an expense may at times not exceed $80, that expense can alter the course for a student who is barely able to cover basic living costs. Being there for our students and meeting them where they are is at the forefront of our mission. 

This year will also be momentous as the Foundation will embark on its first capital campaign to raise funds for the state-of-the-art Agricultural Center project. Our community is centered around agriculture. Driving to our campuses, I pass grass seed fields, livestock, and orchards of hazelnuts. Our agricultural industry plays a leading role in supplying both our nation and the world with commodities. Expanding our agricultural education programs will be fundamental in providing the next generation of farmers with all aspects required to support our local economy with skilled workers making a livable wage to support their families. 

I am thrilled to be able to share news of the Foundation’s work with you in this newsletter as we take the next steps in our campaign and continue our vital work with our students. I encourage you to reach out to me to learn more about our work. Please do not hesitate to contact me at bronchs@linnbenton.edu.

Best,
Steven Broncheau