Pathways to the Future<= /p>

August 2011 Editorial

The communities of Parsons and Labette Co= unty have seen incredible growth during the last few years. Labette Community College is excited to see this growth on campus and the expansion of health= care in this area. The Labette Community College Foundation is in the final mont= hs of the largest capital campaign in the college’s history. We currently stand at $9,282,744 to reach the total goal of $10.4 million by December 31, 2011.

The Foundation has the opportunity gain an additional $25,000 through grant from the “Count on EMC 100 Years of Giving” website. Participants simply go to http://www.countonemc.com/give/= charity.asp?charity=3D9&CharityName=3Dlabette&CharityLocation=3DSel= ect and click Vote. Do this every day! What a simple way for everyone to be abl= e to support the campaign.

Throughout the last three years people fr= om all over Labette County and across the country have understood the need for this project and stepped forward pledging support and dollars to fund the project. I am excited about the support from so many individuals and businesses. The scope of this project reaches beyond me and my term as LCC President. The new allied health programs and building will change lives for generations. Our core values focus on accessibility, integrity, quality, and community. These values along with our mission statement - Labette Community College provid= es quality learning opportunities in a supportive environment for success in a changing world – are the building blocks of our campaign.

Through generous donations and partnershi= ps with many local businesses and individuals the dream of putting LCC in the forefront of allied health training will become a reality. The campaignR= 17;s objectives include: building a state-of-the-art Health Science Center, incr= easing our scholarship endowment, and funding deferred maintenance projects. Our project will create new and improved opportunities for Southeast Kansans to train in health care fields and obtain lucrative careers upon graduation. <= o:p>

We need as many people as possible to mak= e a commitment to our campaign to aid in completing our goals. The timing for o= ur campaign completion coincides with the Kresge Challenge Grant deadline of December 31, 2011. Meeting this deadline will ensure LCC receives the $1 million grant from the Kres= ge Foundation. To date, the campaign has raised nearly $9.3 million. An internal staff campaign was held and 86% of our employees donated to this project. Gifts of cash are not the only way to contribute – many alumni and do= nors have taken advantage of other options, some of the most common being gifts = of stock, land and life insurance. It is a tremendous joy to give to a project= of this magnitude and know you are working together with so many other support= ers to accomplish this important mission for our students and the future of hig= her education in Southeast Kansas. This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity= to contribute to something so remarkable, far-reaching and yet will benefit our friends and neighbors for many years.

A state-of-the-art facility efficiently designed for specific program requirements makes good business sense. It will not only meet the needs of = the current students but has also been designed with room to expand and to adap= t to future needs. Three current programs will be housed in the Health Science Center: Nursing, Radiography, and Respiratory Therapy. In addition three new programs will be created: Physical Therapist Assistant, Dental Assistant, a= nd Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. This will cement LCC’s position as the Center of Excellence in Health Care Education in Kansas.

I respectfully ask each person reading th= is article to give thoughtful consideration to giving a gift and the amount of good it will do. We will be happy to work with you to space your gift over a period of up to 5 years to make your giving a reality.

This project is truly one of the most monumental in Labette County and the history of the College. I would like to thank all the staff, steering committee, Board, and community support for t= he successful future of our students. These individuals, along with so many ot= hers are truly creating a “Pathway to the Future” for our students.<= o:p>