Normandale Community College Foundation

Scholarships: The Foundation manages a diverse portfolio of endowed and other scholarships that collectively provided $617,168 in direct student aid in FY 2023. Scholarships typically range from $1,000 to $3,000 each. The Foundation awarded 817 scholarships in FY 2023, with a careful eye on equity for all. We support the College's goals to eliminate all race-based gaps in degree completion by 2025. Typically, there are over 500 applications from students for Foundation scholarships, and we are only able to award 408 (the 817 number reflects each scholarship divided into the fall and spring award) currently. Each year, applications rise but the number of scholarships available are not keeping up. We seek to ameliorate this by expanding support for college programs that cover larger numbers of students, like the free grocery store and free laptops. Student thank you notes tell us over and over how impactful these gifts are when it comes to them being able to afford to work less and study more. For all of these students, it can make the difference between staying in school and dropping out to work.

Japanese Garden support: Designed by Kyoto-based landscape architect Takao Watanabe and dedicated in 1976, the Normandale Japanese Garden serves as a tranquil oasis and place of renewal for our campus and larger community. The Garden is home to more than 300 plants, shrubs, trees and over 35 authentic Japanese koi fish, and serves as a memorial to Japanese-American veterans. This coming year, we anticipate supporting the College as they update the Garden's accessibility in accordance with the College's goals for accessibility, equity and cultural competence.

College Improvements and Program Support: In FY 2023, the Foundation provided $481,074 to further initiatives such as Basic Student Needs, the Academy of Math and Science, Emergency grants, Sirtify (cultivating Black men to become K12 teachers), archeology program with a dig site, a free laptop program and academic travel support. We strive to create experiences that are within the reach of all students, based on ability and drive to learn, not on income level. Our Academy of Math and Science provides intensive advising and academic support for underrepresented populations in STEM and currently sees a 97% rate of graduation and transfer for their students. This year we introduced a pilot alumni mentorship program that is showing very positive outcomes for both parties already, and we hope to scale this up next year. The College is excited about developing this option for students with peer-to-peer mentoring, alumni mentoring and faculty mentoring. Our Campus Cupboard free grocery store continues to grow and sees increased usage among students. We have seen a 75% increase in the number of visits in the last year, with 46% being new users. We have distributed an increase of 28% in the free pre-prepared meals as well, in partnership with our campus food vendor. Students regularly report that the Cupboard helps them stay in school and feed not only themselves but their families during this time that they are pursuing their education and better future. Our Random Acts of Kindness emergency grant program continues to help students with unforeseen bills that threaten their ability to stay in school. Health care costs, food, car issues, rent and daycare always top the list of urgent needs. Each year we help hundreds of students with gifts that help keep them in school and focused on their education. The Foundation supports our new program Sirtify, designed to support Black men become teachers in the K12 system. Each student gets 100% tuition support, a living stipend, books, and fees paid, plus covers expenses for all conferences, retreats and excursions throughout the year. We anticipate doubling our cohort size this year to 35 with the hiring of an additional staff member. Our free laptop program for low-income students kicked off during the pandemic out of the necessity to help students continue attending classes online. It was clear that our goals for equity in education were greatly enhanced with this program because a laptop nowadays is a necessity, not a luxury. So many students have aging or out-of-date machines or have to share one laptop with all members of the family. This program was supported by federal funding until this year, when the Foundation shouldered the responsibility for raising funds from private sources. Since its inception, the program has served over 4,000 students. The impact is clear from their testimonials: each laptop is a passport to flexibility, achievement and participation that puts them on par with other students in their classes. We foresee a will to continue this essential support but will need to raise at least $500,000 for this effort alone. Academic travel is another aspect of education that provides innumerable documented benefits to all students. The biggest barrier is cost for our students, and gifts to this fund make academic travel possible for so many students who could not otherwise even consider it. The gifts range from $500-$1000 apiece, and they make this educational effort achievable for many students. Their testimonials support the importance of continuing to find funding for this.