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CORSICANA - The event has a new name, and a newly remodeled venue. But the focus was, is, and always will be student success.
The Navarro College Foundation’s annual fund-raiser, known for years as “Elegance,” this year debuts a new name - “Evening of Dreams - Celebrating Success” on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the college’s Cook Center.
The black-tie affair has long been a part of the Foundation’s efforts to support higher education through grants and scholarships, said Dr. Tommy Stringer, executive director of the Navarro College Foundation.
“This is our major fund-raiser of the year,” Stringer said. “The funds raised will go primarily toward our scholarship fund.”
Dr. Richard Sanchez, college district president, praised the efforts of the Foundation and its support of education.
“The Navarro College Foundation has been instrumental in helping make ‘dreams come true’ for many students over the years,” Sanchez said. “The college is indebted to the Navarro College Foundation for their continued support of our educational mission and for their dedication in assisting the college is a variety of ways. “
The scholarship fund has been able to help about 200 students each year with financial support of various means, from help with books all the way to full scholarships, Stringer explained.
“This past year we awarded over $200,000 in scholarships through the Foundation,” he said. “That’s not athletic scholarships or band or performance scholarships, that’s just scholarships that came through our office.”
Help from the foundation combined with the value that Navarro College offers as far as tuition and fee costs can make the dream of a college education a reality.
“There are some very poignant stories of students who in effect (the Foundation) was the difference between them going to school and not going to school,” Stringer said.
Also new this year at the event - a long list of “local” vendors for the event.
“That’s one of the things we really focused on,” Stringer said, noting that many of the table sponsors for the evening were also local individuals and businesses.
And the students will be a part of the evening as well, with some of the scholarship recipients working as waiters for the event. Student success stories will also be shared via the new large screen video and audio system that was a part of the Cook Center renovations.
A silent auction begins the evening starting at 6 p.m., with dinner served about 7:15 p.m., he said.
Table sponsorships and individual tickets are still available for the event. Contact Stringer at (903) 875-7380, or Carol Davenport at (903) 875-7340 for reservations and information.
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Bob Belcher may be reached by email at belcher@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “Soundoff” on this story? Email: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
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