The Community’s Table: Setting a Place for Possibility
Fundraising gala to help students achieve their dreams
Saturday, March 6th, 2010, 6:00 p.m.
Charles H. Mitchell Activity Center
Seattle Central Community College
1718 Broadway, Seattle
“The scholarships I’ve received at Seattle Central have made a profound impact on my life. I have always had to be very adaptable in order to persevere [and] I know I can persevere through anything. Due to family circumstances I attended five different high schools by the eleventh grade and ended up dropping out. However, I earned my GED in two months and received a full scholarship to get my Medical Assisting Certificate. My dream is to become an ultrasound technician and to make my family proud by being the first in my family to graduate from college.” — Vivian Alphonse, Seattle Central scholarship recipient
SEATTLE – Vivian Alphonse, a Coast Salish tribal member, is well on her way toward a career as an ultrasound technician. Wais Dahir, from Somalia, hopes to become the first person in his extended family to earn a college degree. Tamika Jackson, a domestic violence victims’ advocate, has her sights set on earning a masters degree in social work. Joyu Wang, from Hong Kong, hopes to someday work as a journalist covering global affairs. And, Ryan Chesla is returning to college with the dream of being a writer and documentary filmmaker.
They and many of their classmates will have the opportunity to achieve their dreams with the help of funds raised through Seattle Central Community College Foundation’s fundraising gala, “The Community’s Table: Setting a Place for Possibility,”Saturday, March 6, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Charles H. Mitchell Activity Center on the college campus. KING 5 TV news anchor Lori Matsukawa will serve as emcee.
Guests will begin the evening with hors d’oeuvres created by the college’s award-winning Seattle Culinary Academy, and then enjoy a sumptuous dinner with wine, music by the Brian Kirk Trio with vocalist Josephine Howell, and a silent auction showcasing work created by students, faculty and staff.
“The Community’s Table event is returning after three years and we are planning the biggest fundraising event that the Foundation has had in recent history,” remarked Adrienne Caver-Hall, Foundation Board member and Community’s Table Event Chair. “We are looking forward to bringing our community together in celebration and support of our students and we look forward to continuing our mission of creating possibility in their lives.”
Last year the Foundation awarded 154 scholarships totaling nearly $400,000 to 143 new and returning students representing over 30 areas of study. Funds raised in part through The Community’s Table will help the Foundation continue to provide annual scholarships, college wide tutoring and childcare assistance to hundreds of deserving students.
“Our scholarship recipients inspire us,” said Darlene Suyematsu, executive director of the Seattle Central Community College Foundation. “Many are the first in their families to seek higher education, are recent immigrants, exhibit extraordinary leadership or have overcome incredible personal obstacles. The scholarship funds we raise through special events like The Community’s Table truly makes student dreams come alive with possibility and promise.”
Tickets for the event are $150 per guest and include a reception and dinner. For tickets or further information, please contact Alison Gooding, (206) 934-5491, agooding@sccd.ctc.edu or order online at seattlecentral.edu/communitystable. Parking is available in the nearby Harvard & Pine Street Garage.
The Community’s Table is generously sponsored in part by The Boeing Company, Nordstrom, MulvannyG2 Architecture, Washington Trust Bank and Schacht Aslani Architects.
About Seattle Central Community College
Seattle Central overlooks downtown Seattle from Capitol Hill, one of the liveliest neighborhoods in the city. Since it was established as the city’s first community college in 1966, Seattle Central has served the higher education and training needs of more than 500,000 students. Nearly 18,000 students each year are enrolled in unique educational opportunities including college transfer, professional-technical training, adult basic education and continuing education. Seattle Central is one of the Seattle Community Colleges.
About Seattle Central Community College Foundation
The Foundation, led by a 25 member Board of Directors, is dedicated to bridging the gap between student need and available resources. Each year the Foundation, a private, 501 (c) (3), non profit organization, provides nearly $400,000 for student scholarships. It also provides grants of more than $60,000 to two vital services which directly support Seattle Central students’ educational success: on-site tutoring and childcare assistance.