Dalton State’s annual Giving Day is an opportunity for the extended Roadrunner family to directly impact the lives of students.
Friends of the college are asked to show their support during the second annual Giving Day, on Thursday, Oct. 21.
There are seven priorities for the day, including funds for student emergency assistance, scholarships, technology upgrades and the Turtle Assurance Colony. Two of the projects are new scholarships in memory of chemistry professor Dr. Richard Collison and legendary basketball coach Tony Ingle, both of whom died this year.
“By participating in Giving Day, you are directly impacting the lives of our students,” said Dr. Margaret Venable, president of Dalton State. “Our students rely on the support provided by friends of the college. Many face hardships, have family commitments and hold down jobs while attending school. Your gifts make it possible for them to complete their education and achieve their goals.”
People can give online at daltonstate.edu/givingday or by calling the Dalton State Foundation at 706-272-4473. Any gift given between now and Oct. 21 will be included in the Giving Day initiative.
“Private gifts made to Dalton State help us provide an impactful experience to our students,” said David Elrod, director of the Dalton State Foundation. “Participating in Giving Day allows everyone to come together to show support for our college at the same time. We hope to see all our alumni, employees and friends in the community support the college, and by extension, the future of our community.
“Giving Day makes these projects possible,” he said. “People may be encouraged to give to one of our specific projects we’re hoping to have fully funded or any area of the college they wish to support. All our projects were created with the thought of, ‘How does this benefit our students?’”
Projects include:
- Dr. Richard Collison Memorial Scholarship in Chemistry, with a goal of $25,000. Collison, professor of chemistry, died in July, and alumni and employees are joining together to create a scholarship in his memory. Collison was one of the catalysts for the bachelor’s degree program in chemistry when it launched several years ago, and he was beloved by the many students he taught.
- Roadrunner Student Emergency Fund, with an unlimited goal. Many students’ personal finances have suffered from the loss of a job or work hours because of the pandemic. A little financial assistance can make a big difference in helping a student stay enrolled.
- Tony Ingle Memorial Basketball Scholarship, with an unlimited goal. Ingle played on Roadrunner basketball teams that won state and regional championships in the 1970s. He then returned as men’s basketball head coach in 2013 and led the Dalton State Men’s Roadrunners Basketball Team to win the 2015 NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship. He died in January 2021.
- Wright School of Business Technology Fund, with a goal of $5,000. The pandemic means more learning is happening via digital means. These upgrades will ensure business students are workplace ready upon graduation.
- School of Health Professions Technology Fund, with a goal of $5,000. This upgrade will give healthcare students experience with updated software, instrumentation and equipment to ensure they are prepared for the latest technology used in clinicals and in the field after graduation.
- School of Education Gap Fund, with a goal of $5,000. This project provides funding for education majors seeking to fill the gap between their available resources and their needs for professional exams and other non-tuition expenses prior to graduation.
- Turtle Assurance Colony, with a goal of $10,000. A challenge donor will match all gifts up to $10,000 for Dalton State’s research and teaching habitat where endangered turtle species from around the world are cultivated for release back into the wild.
“Giving Day is more about participation than anything else,” Elrod said. “We welcome gifts in any amount. Even small gifts go a long way when everyone is working toward the same goal.”
