Leading Women Event Raises $25,000 For Scholarships, Empowers Women Through Golf

BETH HOLLEGER: Beth Holleger is a 2014 graduate of Montgomery County Community College and is entering her senior year at East Stroudsburg University, where she is an early childhood education major. She was a recipient of the Leading Women Scholarship during her time at MCCC. Beth shared her story during the brunch symposium portion of the event on June 6. Photo by Sandi Yanisko

DR. KAREN STOUT: Dr. Karen A. Stout is the President and CEO of Achieving the Dream and is President Emerita of Montgomery County Community College. She provided the keynote address during the brunch symposium portion of the event. Last year, the event was renamed the Karen A. Stout Leading Women Symposium and Golf Experience, which she founded 12 years ago. Photo by Sandi Yanisko

TAMARA ALI: Tamara Ali shared her story with Leading Women participants during the brunch symposium portion of the event on June 6. Ali is a single mother of four who graduated from Montgomery County Community College in May with an associate’s degree in human services. She is a 2015 recipient of the KEYS Scholarship funded by the event. Photo by Sandi Yanisko

LEARNING WOMEN: The Montgomery County Community College Foundation’s Leading Women Symposium and Gold Experience provides women the opportunity to learn golf in a friendly and fun setting. Here, Leading Women Learners are pictured with PGA Professional Instructor Lou Guzzi. Photo by Sandi Yanisko

Ambler, PA —Women helping women—that’s the idea behind the Annual Karen A. Stout Leading Women Symposium and Golf Experience, a marquee fundraising event for the Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) Foundation.

More than 140 female role models came out to support scholarships and programming for MCCC’s female students at the 12th annual event, named in honor of MCCC President Emerita Dr. Karen A. Stout, on June 6 at Talamore Country Club in Ambler.  The event raised more than $25,000.

“Since the Leading Women Symposium and Golf Experience started, we have raised more than $300,000!” shared Delores Lare, chair of the Foundation Board of Directors. “In 2015, the event provided $14,000 for seven KEYS Scholarship recipients and $23,000 for 15 Leading Women Scholarship recipients.”

Two of those recipients—Beth Holleger and Tamara Ali—were invited to share their stories during the brunch symposium portion of the event.

Holleger, who graduated from MCCC in 2014 and is entering her senior year at East Stroudsburg University, shared the impact scholarships had on her education.

“It was so incredibly humbling and inspiring to know that people I had never even met were investing in me,” shared the early childhood education major. “When you invest in scholarships, you invest in people. You enrich their lives by giving them a chance at a quality education, and this, in turn, enriches the community.”

Ali, who is a KEYS Scholarship recipient, graduated in May 2016 with an associate’s degree in human services.

“I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for women such as yourselves,” she told the attendees. “At the very end of my program, my financial aid ran out. If it wasn’t for the Leading Women Scholarship funds, I would still be struggling to pay for my education. The scholarship allowed me to pay for my education, eliminate stress, bury the burden of unpaid tuition and focus on completing my goals!”

Leading Women arose from conversations between Dr. Stout and Deb Takes, who, with a dynamic group of female leaders affectionately referred to as the “founding mothers,” started a Woman-Owned Business Network and a course, “Starting a Successful Woman-Owned Business,” to support female entrepreneurs.

The motivation behind the golf portion of the event is the need to break down gender barriers that may exist for women in business. As such, Leading Women is not your typical golf fundraiser. Because business deals and networking often occur on the golf course, the event has a unique learner portion, during which participants learn the fundamentals of the game.  As learners get taught how to chip, putt and drive, foursomes of more experienced golfers—many of whom started as learners—play in a scramble format.

Dr. Stout, who now serves as president and CEO of Achieving the Dream, a national student success reform network, delivered a keynote address that focused on ways in which organizations and individuals can move out of their comfort zones and move into learning zones.

“As philanthropists, we need to think not in terms of empowering female students, but in how we can break down barriers that prevent them from succeeding,” she said. “We need to unlock the transformative power of education for those who need it most and can contribute back in meaningful ways in their community.”

The organizing committee for 2016 Leading Women Golf Symposium was led by two MCCC alumna and Alumni Hall of Fame inductees, Cindi Diccianni and Pat Nunan, both of whom are business owners.

This year’s event was made possible by the following sponsors: ADT, Baker Tilly, Diccianni Financial Group, Fox Rothschild, Alma Jacobs, Ambler Savings Bank, Apollo Granite & Marble, Chartwell Law Offices, State Representative Madeleine Dean, Nance Dicciani, Saul Ewing, Joe and Kathy Gallagher, State Representative Kate Harper, J.O.B. Design & Construction, Keiffer’s Appliances, Lakeview Dental, Lifestyles Design, Motz Wealth Management, Universal Credit Services, Wilmington Trust and UNIVEST-Banking, Insurance, Investments.

In-kind sponsors included 4 Seasons Tanning, Act II Playhouse, Alma Jacobs, Ambler Theater, Blue Bell Country Club, Body Serene Day Spa, Center Square Golf Club, Cindy Diccianni, Comcast, Costco Wholesale, Crown Plaza Philadelphia West, The Culinary Arts Institute of Montgomery County Community College, Dolores Lare, Fireman’s Hall Museum, Gallagher Fluid Seals, Inc., Gerhard’s Appliances, Glasses by Amanda, GolfSmith, HCAM, Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing, Maureen Thompson, Motivs Cosmetics, Norristown Bell Credit Union, A&C Kitchens, Nu Waves Salon, Pat Nunan, Penn Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Pinecrest Country Club, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Sovereign Security, Stark & Stark, Target, Tattoo Alley, TransAmerica Life, Uncorked Artist and the Leading Women Committee.

For more information, email foundation@mc3.edu or call 215-461-1139.

Montgomery County Community College Foundation Awards Grants To Support Programs And Initiatives‏

Blue Bell/Pottstown, PA — Montgomery County Community College Foundation recently awarded $19,705 in grants for the 2015-16 year to support programs and initiatives that will improve student success and access, enhance students’ educational experience, promote sustainability and engage the community.

Grants were awarded for the following programs and initiatives:

• Veterans Retreat – A $5,000 award will allow 20 veteran students to attend a two-night Mindfulness Retreat in Bangor, PA, during which attendees will participate in activities to help build physical, cognitive and emotional resiliency; decrease levels of stress; improve quality of sleep; and improve emotional well-being. The program will be led by Ann Marie Donohue and Deborah Greenspan, MCCC psychology professors, with Veterans Services Coordinator Michael Brown.

• Reading Community of Practice: Reading in the Content Areas – A $3,779 grant will support this reading program designed to introduce and engage participants in active reading and critical thinking to help increase student success in the classroom. Through workshops, one-to-one faculty collaborations and ongoing support, students will learn to model reading strategies as demonstrated through best practices. The program will be led by Assistant Professor of Reading Barbara Maurer.

• Creating Accessible Videos with Closed Captioning – A $3,776 grant will enable MCCC’s Information Technology department to create closed captioning for course content videos used by faculty to increase access and student success. The grant funding will cover software costs and allow IT to hire students to learn and work alongside the academic training team, led by MCCC Instructional Designer Joshua Eckenrode.

• Software Development Academy Pilot Equipment Support – A $3,000 grant will enable MCCC’s Director of Enterprise Infrastructure Jim Stasik in IT to purchase additional computers and iOS devices to support MCCC’s proposed Software Development Academy pilot. This proposed pilot program will increase student access and success in the IT field by providing and innovative delivery of curriculum in a high-performance culture.

• The Betzwood Silent Film Festival – A $3,000 grant will enable MCCC’s Lively Arts Series under the direction of Interim Director Brent Woods to continue the presentation of The Betzwood Silent Film Festival on May 7, 2016. This annual festival informs the community about the unique history and culture of the silent film industry that developed in Montgomery County and engages the audience through the lively narration and presentation of silent films. The Betzwood Silent Film Archive is housed in MCCC’s Brendlinger Library at its Central Campus in Blue Bell.

• Bike Maintenance Station – A $1,150 grant will enable MCCC to provide a bicycle maintenance station at its Central Campus in addition to the station at West Campus in Pottstown. Nationally recognized as a Bike Friendly University by the American Bicyclists, MCCC encourages bicycling as an alternative form of transportation for nearby students. The initiative supports MCCC’s ongoing commitment to sustainability since signing the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007.

Established in 1983, the Montgomery County Community College Foundation provides student scholarships; grants for projects, equipment and technology; student emergency funds; support for cultural enrichment activities and financial resources for programs and activities. The Foundation makes a difference in the lives of students thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents, community friends, private foundations and corporations. For more information, contact the Foundation at 215-641-6530.

Arline Stephan Named Vice President Of Development, External Relations At MCCC

Montgomery County Community College Foundation

Blue Bell/Pottstown, Pa.— Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) welcomes Arline Stephan, of Yardley, as its new vice president of development and external relations. In that capacity, she oversees the College’s Foundation, as well as the areas of alumni relations, marketing and communications, public grants, lively arts and fine arts galleries.

Stephan first came to MCCC in 2012 as the executive director of the College’s Foundation. In that role, she managed the Foundation’s first-ever comprehensive campaign, Futures Rising, which launched in November 2014. The campaign runs through June 2015 and has already exceeded its $9 million goal.

With more than 24 years of development experience, Stephan has served in leadership positions at major universities and health care systems, including Rutgers University, Thomas Jefferson University and Capital Health System. She became involved nationally with the women and philanthropy movement in the early 1990s, has started three successful women’s giving circles and has been a speaker at many conferences and to groups about the power of women and giving. She has also served on numerous fundraising and community boards throughout her career.

Prior to working in the field of development, Stephan held administrative and management positions in health care and higher education. She attended Austin Community College and earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

About the Montgomery County Community College Foundation

Established in 1983, the Montgomery County Community College Foundation operates exclusively to provide support and assistance to the College in developing the programs, facilities and services to carry out the mission and functions of the College. The Foundation carries out this purpose by encoura­ging, soliciting, receiving, holding, investing and administer­ing gifts of funds and property, and making expenditures to, or for the benefit of, the College. For more information, visit http://mc3.edu/futuresrising.