2023-24 OCC Foundation Committees Executives Bart Zuber, President Larry Miller, Vice President Jason Doris, Secretary & Treasurer Beth Miller, Executive Director Budget & Finance Jason Doris Mark Richardson Fundraising Chris Doll Larry Miller Mark Richardson
Rick Runyon Bernie Rusk Mini Grant
I am happy the OCC Foundation can help in any way to provide the tools for education to inspire leaders of tomorrow.
Sherry Brauer Brenda Glover Nominating & Terms
Tara Lemke Ann Muston Scholarship Sherry Brauer Jason Doris Brenda Glover
Sherry Brauer, Foundation Board Member
T he Olney Central College Foundation funded approx- imately $146,000 for projects at Olney Central College this year. At the direction of OCC Foundation President Bart Zuber and OCC President Chris Simpson, the OCC Foundation board provided schol- arships for the Art, Biology, Business, Music, and Athletic Departments, Allied Health, and the Anderson Library, among others.
more accessible, but it’s not something included in the standard budget. I’m grateful the Foundation saw a need for it. Having this cutting-edge technology puts OCC on the map.” Students in OCC’s Welding Program are gain- ing real-world experience through projects that are benefitting not only the college, but the community. Instructor Curtis Marshall said students spent numer- ous hours on the fabrication of two new batting cages for the OCC Baseball team. Baseball Coach Phil Britton received an OCC Foundation mini grant for $6,500 to help fund the updates and requested Marshall’s assis- tance with the project. “It has been a great opportunity for the students,” Marshall said. “They got to work on the pipe welding and making sure everything was within a sixteenth of an inch tolerance. It’s skills they will need as they enter the workforce.” The Foundation was happy to help sponsor the 60th anniversary celebration of the College on September 6, 2023. It was wonderful to see all those in attendance, especially so many members of the College’s very first class. President Chris Simpson, Olney Mayor Mark Lambird, and former IECC Chief Executive Officer Terry Bruce (and former member of the United States Congress) all spoke about the history of the College and its impact on the area. The Foundation continues to provide OCC students with broader educational opportunities and to offer expanded services to the alumni and citizens of Southeastern Illinois.
Every year, the OCC Foundation awards mini grants to faculty and staff for professional development, instructional equipment, or campus improvements. Based on available funds, prior department awards, and projects that favored an innovative student-cen- tered campus, nine mini grants were awarded at the amount of $31,500 this year. OCC students can now perform genomic sequenc- ing and DNA analysis with cutting-edge biotechnol- ogy purchased through a $5,000 OCC Foundation mini grant. Foundation members Sherry Brauer and Brenda Glover along with Executive Director Beth Miller witnessed these capabilities firsthand as students used the new portable PCR thermocycler and gel electrophoresis to solve a crime in Dr. Sarah Bergbower’s biology lab. “I don’t know any other community colleges that have a sequencer who are using them,” Dr. Bergbower said. “It’s really unheard of for a community college.” Dr. Bergbower is grateful for the Foundation’s support in making the technology available to OCC students. “As a prospective student, I wanted to know a college’s lab equipment was up to date,” she said. “Biotechnology equipment is getting
ABOVE LEFT: Dr. Sarah Bergbower assists OCC Foundation members Sherry Brauer and Brenda Glover as they use the Life Science Department’s new equipment. BELOW LEFT: OCC welding student fabricates new poles for the OCC Baseball team’s Foundation mini grant. ABOVE RIGHT: Completed OCC Baseball cages.
8 OCC Annual Report
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