Statements

Mission

To raise and administer funds to support the educational objectives of Volunteer State Community College and to solicit the active involvement of all communities within our service area. Volunteer State College Foundation is entrenched in the local communities of our 12 county service areas. We recognize the need for students to acquire an education. While we are proud of our lower tuition rate, we also recognize that the cost of tuition is what will keep some students from acquiring an education. By providing scholarships, we help our students and the communities we serve. It is surprising to see how many students are willing to give back because they remember how much the help meant to them. With the economic challenges facing us, it is more important than ever for students to have an education in order to be marketable and survive on their own. We are able to provide skills that will last a lifetime.

Background

Volunteer State College Foundation was founded in 1989 by the first President of the College along with other community leaders. They saw the need for students to have help with tuition and they had a vision for the College and for our community. The need for a more educated workforce drove this group of leaders to begin raising funds to help students obtain their dream of an education. They saw students who weren't able to attend college due to lack of funds. Through the foresight and dedication of these community leaders, the Volunteer State Community College Foundation was formed and they began raising money to help students realize their vision for their life while also helping to provide the community with a better educated workforce. Today we continue to have strong community leaders who love to invest their time to help further educational dreams. Our challenges have grown with the state appropriation to community colleges continuing to shrink and the colleges sustenance becoming more dependent on the community. However, with strong support from the community, our Board of Trustees never back down from the challenge. The Foundation has also added funds to support The FEED (a food pantry for our students) and a Student Emergency Fund.

Impact

Last year Volunteer State College Foundation:1. Awarded 278 scholarships to students during the 2022-2023 academic year totaling over $450,000. 2. Awarded funds for our Student Emergency Fund and The FEED (our student food pantry). 3. The Tennessee Small Business Development Center had 152 clients, created 28 jobs, and supported small businesses in obtaining $1,588,000 in capital formation.
Our top goals for next year are 1. Raising money for scholarships. Our goal is to help as many students as possible achieve their dream of obtaining an education. 2. We want to grow The FEED and our Student Emergency Fund for student emergencies that could prevent them from continuing their education. 3. We want to grow the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, which is housed at VSCC. The Tennessee Small Business Development Center offers free and confidential one-on-one counseling for existing and start-up businesses, as well as offers free and inexpensive workshops designed for small business owners. The TSBDC is funded by a matching grant which means we must raise community support of $40,000 to continue operating the program

Needs

The most pressing needs for the Volunteer State College Foundation: 1. Increase funds available for scholarships, especially for non-traditional students. 2. Increase funds available for student emergencies. 3. Fully fund the TSBDC (Tennessee Small Business Development Center) 4. Actively engage alumni and other community members in events to promote the College and support programs.

CEO Statement

While we are thrilled with the opportunities that Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect have provided students, many of our student population do not qualify for Tennessee Promise or Tennessee Reconnect. The difference that scholarships make in the lives of students is priceless. Some of these students face significant challenges while attempting to pay for education. Numerous recipients have talked about their scholarships as being life-changing for them. Some of them even give back once they have obtained a job. This is why we strive to help these students achieve their dreams of a college education. We also help students with book, course fees, a food pantry and emergency funds. Thank you for considering a partnership in making the hopes and dreams of students come true!

Board Chair Statement

Education is a fundamental building block for a successful future. Tennessee is fortunate to have the Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect Programs, but it is critical for donors to understand that our Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect programs only support tuition. TN Promise begins at age 18 and TN Reconnect at age 23. Since the average age of Vol State students is 22, there is a gap. The majority of students at VSCC are returning students after being out of school for a while. Last year, we provided some form of scholarship funding for278 students, and we are trying to increase that number each year. We are here to help all students advance their skills and knowledge, and I am honored to serve on the Volunteer State College Foundation and be a part of helping students achieve their future dreams! Steve Parker 2023-2024 VSCF Chair

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Education  - Two-Year Colleges
Secondary Category:	Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations  - Fund Raising & Fund Distribution
Tertiary Category:	Employment  - Job Training

Areas Served

Volunteer State Community College serves 11 counties: Clay, Pickett, Overton, Putnam, Jackson, Smith, Trousdale, Macon, Wilson, Robertson and Sumner.

TN