OUR thanks
giving to GFCMSU: Steering Committee
Steering Committee Promotes Unique Level of Support for Students and Programs
The success of Great Falls College MSU has been fueled largely by the great community the College has enjoyed over the years. From the efforts of the local legislative delegation, to partnerships with area businesses in support of workforce development programs, Great Falls College MSU has been impacted by a special relationship with the Northcentral Montana community. Yet with these strong community ties, a formalized effort to encourage private giving to student scholarships and academic programs had never been initiated. That is until now.
In early 2008 a group of community partners meet on the campus of Great Falls College MSU to answer one question. How does the College develop its philanthropic future? The answer to this question crafted a unique, community based approach to advancing the private support of scholarships and programs. Promote giving to the College in one semester and the next distribute that money to worthy students and academic programs. "It is a simple approach", said Brad Talcott member of what is now called, the Great Falls College MSU Steering Committee. "Rather than focusing on endowments and complex investment strategies that would help students and the College only in the long term, we decided to act now and focus on how we can help students today."
Moving forward with this strategy, the Committee chose to begin its initial appeal for donations this fall, advocating the needs of Great Falls College MSU students and programs. "We have a truly unique opportunity to offer scholarship support to our area’s many fine students in hopes that they consider staying home to pursue higher education", said Steering Committee member Sue Warren. "This is our College, our part of the University System, and we as a community must invest in its future because its advancement as an institution is inseparable from our progress as a city and a region."