The Augusta Technical College Foundation recently completed its annual Family First campaign, which invites faculty and staff to make charitable donations to support the college. This year, the campaign nearly tripled the amount raised in previous years with a grand total of $58,394.24 in gifts and pledges.

The 2023 campaign focused on ways to directly impact students. Donors were asked to contribute $1,200 to fill the funding gap experienced by hundreds of students each semester. Other amounts included $511 to cover a student’s fees, $250 for books, $200 for a laptop, or $50 for a new student emergency fund.

“In the past, only a couple of people opted to contribute over $1,000,” said Cheryl Ciucevich, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. “This year, 25 individuals made gifts at that level or higher.”

This year, the Foundation also encouraged its Board of Trustees and the College’s Board of Directors to make gifts during the campaign. Like the faculty and staff, many of them also decided to increase the amount of their annual gifts. Trustee Chair Randy Hatcher, CEO of MAU, made a matching challenge pledge of $10,000 that enabled faculty and staff to double their contributions to the project of their choice.

“The faculty and staff are truly invested in our students’ success every day,” said Dr. Jermaine Whirl, President of Augusta Tech. “Their support of the Family First campaign demonstrates how much they believe in these students and in Augusta Tech’s mission of transforming lives by building a skilled workforce.”

Thanks to gifts to the campaign, the Foundation is establishing several new funds: the Cougar Scholarship Fund for students who have financial hardship; the Student Laptop Fund for students who need a laptop to access their coursework; the Student Transportation Fund for students who need assistance in getting to their campus; and the Lend A Paw Fund, which will provide immediate micro grants to students who have financial emergencies.

The campaign ran Sept. 18 through Sept. 29.

The Augusta Technical College Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Its purpose is to raise and appropriate resources that will support Augusta Technical College in carrying out its mission of excellence in workforce education that leads to the career advancement and economic empowerment of its students.