Northwestern Michigan College has set its highest fundraising campaign goal yet, shooting for $400,000 for scholarships and programs in the 2010-2011 year.
Financial aid director Pam Palermo says that financial need from students has increased, in conjunction with a drop in aid from the state. For the fourth year in a row, financial aid applications at the school rose.
"There's a higher need-based component," says Palermo. "More of our students have lost jobs, they're just barely scraping by."
The now-annual campaign has been raising higher and higher amounts for the last three years, backed by community support. The 2009-10 campaign raised more than $365,000.
The support has already begun, with businesses and organizations pledging to match gifts specifically from first-time donors. They include American Waste, H. Cox & Son, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Insurance Agency, Huntington Bank, Jordan Exploration, the NMC Foundation Board, Northwestern Bank, retired faculty & staff of NMC, the Art & Mary Schmuckal Family Foundation, TBA Credit Union and two anonymous donors.
Donors can make gifts in several ways, including designating a program or department to benefit from their donation, adopting a student, named scholarships and of course general donations.
The campaign ends Jan. 25, 2011.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Pam Palermo, Northwestern Michigan College
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