FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 26, 2018
Contact: Wendy Smith, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Communication (307) 675-0412, wsmith@sheridan.edu
Claire Barnes, Writer/Editor (307) 675-0416, cbarnes@sheridan.edu
Support for programs, recruitment and student success
Members of the Whitney Benefits Board of Directors, college trustees and members of SCSD 1, 2, and 3 school boards gathered yesterday at the Sheridan College Technical Center to celebrate a milestone in Whitney Benefits giving. The announced $11.369 million Second-Century Legacy Gift marks an important date in history, one hundred years after the death of Edward A. Whitney.
“This gift is multi-faceted and comes at a time when colleges everywhere are experiencing shrinking budgets. Now more than ever, we must invest in helping students succeed,” said Whitney Benefits board president, Tom Kinnison. “We are remembering Edward A. Whitney today and are continuing to build on his legacy, a century later.”
Included in the gift is support for academic areas including agriculture, computer science, diesel technology, fine and performing arts, machine tool technology, music, nursing and welding technology. These programs were all selected as potential growth areas and align with regional economic development priorities.
Also included is support for marketing and recruitment and the creation of a Student Success Program modeled from the current TRIO program at Sheridan College. This program will improve student persistence and completion by utilizing a contemporary mentoring model that goes beyond traditional advising to include comprehensive service, from selecting a career path through acquiring the first job upon completion.
“With the help of Whitney Benefits, our institution is poised and ready to serve more students, to have an even greater impact on our local economy and to ultimately continue to do our part to help Sheridan and the region thrive,” said Dr. Paul Young, Sheridan College president. “For that we are grateful.”
Sheridan College students have and will always benefit from the vision and generosity of Edward A. Whitney. From the gift of land where the main campus is located, to the most recent gift announced today, Whitney Benefits continues to support the students of Sheridan College. Over the last decade alone, Whitney Benefits has contributed $72.5 million in support to Sheridan College.
