The Middle College Pilot Program
Last May, Housatonic Community College faculty and staff completed the development of an important new pilot program in partnership with Bridgeport’s Warren G. Harding and Bassick High Schools. This Pilot Program will address the serious problems faced by students who enter the College with academic deficiencies that seriously limit and often prevent their achievement in the college classroom and subsequently, their successful entry into the workforce.
The Middle College Pilot Program is designed to remedy these problems by providing these students with a significantly greater level of college preparedness. Staring in the fall of 2005, the program will bring forty high school seniors to our campus where our faculty will team with teachers from both high schools to teach select courses for high school credit and college credit. Our ultimate goal is to improve these students’ basic skill levels – particularly in the areas of language arts and math/science, prepare them for higher level courses and increase their motivation to obtain a college degree.
The program is being funded through Housatonic Community College and Bassick and Warren G. Harding High Schools, along with generous contributions from three anonymous donors.
International Holiday Wine Tasting
Last November, more than three hundred guests attended our first International Holiday Wine Tasting – a sparkling holiday gala presented by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Held in the College’s Atrium, the fundraiser featured an eclectic selection of domestic and international wines, an array of culinary treats, a silent auction and lively musical entertainment. Assistant professor Geoffrey Sheehan served as emcee.
The Wine Tasting was an outstanding success, with more than $20,000 scholarship dollars raised. The event also served to significantly heighten awareness of the Foundation and its mission by bringing community leaders, area residents and other Greater Bridgeport influentials through our doors – many for the first time.
We wish to thank New England Beverage Company for all its efforts in coordinating
the impressive selection of wines, as well as the local restaurants and
caterers who prepared and donated the gourmet selections. We are also deeply
grateful for the high level of
support given this project by the Board of Directors – in particular,
the event committee headed by Chairwoman Marianne Laska, and the numerous
corporate and individual donors who helped to make it possible. We look
forward to their continued support as we plan our second annual International
Wine Tasting for November 18 of this year.
Charitable Gift Annuity
The Foundation broke new ground in its fundraising last year when we established a Charitable Gift Annuity program through a partnership with a local bank. This planned giving program benefits both the recipient and the donor, as it provides the donor with the opportunity to commit a large-scale contribution to the Foundation while drawing income from the interest paid on the principal. (The donor also remains eligible for a tax deduction on the donation.)
We are pleased to announce that an anonymous donor has already committed $100,000 to the program. The Charitable Gift Annuity is a solid fundraising tool that makes great sense to investors in today’s economic times. We intend to capitalize on this mutually beneficial philanthropic trend in the years ahead.
Corporate Appeal
In an effort to generate greater interest and involvement in the Foundation on the part of the Greater Bridgeport business community, we introduced Phase I of our first Corporate Appeal this past spring. The response has been encouraging – in only its first few months, the appeal has brought in $17,500 in new donor contributions. We believe the benefits of this program will be far reaching as we continue to educate the business community on the significant impact the College and its highly-skilled graduates have on the regional economy.
Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting was held on September 14, 2004. Barbara Johnson, President of the Foundation, addressed the group and announced that although the fundraising environment in 2003-04 had been a challenging one, the Foundation still raised more than $300,000 for scholarships and financial needs. She also announced that two special scholarships had been established - one in memory of Pamela Prestin, a devoted Foundation employee and one in memory of Bernice Wertz, Dr. Hadley’s mother, both of whom passed away last year. These scholarships will be awarded in 2005.
Ms. Johnson indicated that grant writing efforts directed through the Foundation office supported the College’s Early Childhood Laboratory School; purchased equipment for the College’s library; provided scholarships and tutoring support to students; and provided financial support for the Housatonic Museum of Art for conservation efforts and public exhibitions.
Paul Antinozzi, Ray Hill, Mary Hoyt and Janet Janczewski were approved as new Board members, and it was noted that seven new members will be needed when terms expire. Committee chairs were also confirmed.
The GE Elfun Society was recognized for their on-going support of Awards Night, and the Bigelow Family was acknowledged for the continued philanthropic role they play within the community and in connection with Housatonic Community College.
Awards Night
Students, faculty, staff, family and friends attended the thirty-eighth annual Awards Night on May 24, 2005. This event was held prior to graduation to recognize outstanding students and the generous individuals, groups and organizations that support them. General Electric and the G.E. Elfun Society sponsored the event for the seventeenth consecutive year.
The prestigious event highlighted the seventeen Housatonic Foundation Scholars who received their associate’s degrees this year. They were honored for both their academic achievement and for having received scholarships or financial awards during their academic careers at the College.
Other financial awards provided by the HCC Foundation included:
The Beverly G. Anderson Memorial Award
The Burt Chernow Scholarship
The Jeanne DuBois Scholarship
The Ralph Fabrizio Scholarship
The Flint Prize (awarded to the recipient(s) of the Academic Dean’s Award
The Robert Gerard Naples Award, The George Endowed Scholarship
The Joyce Gerber Early Childhood Education Endowed Scholarship
The HCC Foundation Dale Ward Endowed Scholarship Award
Jane Mahoney Memorial Award
Marshall Rachleff Scholarship
The Frank J. Scallon Foundation Merit Award
The Frank J. Scallon Foundation Scholarships
The Swain Award