Donnelly’s First Annual Scholarship Dinner honors Dr. Ken Gibson and Dr. Jackie Snyder, raises more than $80,000
Dr. Gibson Addressing Guests |
Donnelly’s first Scholarship Fundraising Dinner was held on Saturday, August 25, 2007 at the Jack Reardon Convention Center, in Kansas City, Kansas. Nearly 320 Donnelly friends and supporters attended the gala affair and continued their tradition of providing generously for the future education of Donnelly College’s students. The dinner raised more than $80,000 and created a $50,000 endowed scholarship in the name of Dr. Ken Gibson and his wife Dr. Jackie Snyder, honorees at the event because of their many contributions to Donnelly and their joint dedication to increasing access to higher education. The remaining proceeds will be used to support scholarships for Donnelly students this year. Dr. Gibson retired in July after serving nine years as president of Donnelly College; Dr. Snyder is Chancellor of Metropolitan Community Colleges.
Dr. Snyder Addressing Guests |
‘Roots to Grow On,’ the event theme, signified the foundation for Donnelly’s future growth and the strong roots Donnelly’s education gives to its students that they may flourish in life.
Henry Bloch and William H. Dunn, Sr., long-time supporters, respectively, of Donnelly’s Bloch Scholars Program and Donnelly’s accredited second campus at Lansing Correctional Facility, acted as honorary co-chairs for the event. Graduates from each of those programs, Reginald Pennington from the Lansing campus, and Miguel Pineda, a Bloch Scholar from the Class of 2005, both spoke about their Donnelly experience. Dr. Jackie Snyder and Gary Grable, chair of Donnelly’s Board of Trustees, both paid tribute to Dr. Gibson’s contributions to Donnelly. Broadcaster and Donnelly alumnus Delores Jones, ’91, and Dr. Bernard Franklin, president of Penn Valley Community College, were co-presenters for the event.
“We were pleased to take the opportunity to honor Dr. Gibson’s years of dedicated service to Donnelly, as well as to help raise money for his favorite cause and the biggest need at Donnelly – scholarships,” said Gary Grable, Donnelly alumnus and chair of Donnelly’s board of trustees.
Alumnus Miguel Pineda spoke to us about the challenges he overcame as a first-generation college student, and the role Donnelly and his Bloch Scholarship played in helping him go on to graduate from Rockhurst University and now to pursue medical school.
“To be a college graduate is something that many dream of when they are young, but it is also something some of us unfortunately don’t even think of – as it was for me,” said Pineda. “One day I got the nerve to tell a school staff member that I was thinking about going to college. Their response was, ‘I don’t think college is right for you.’ …Till this day, those words still hurt.” But, listening to the positive voices of his parents, he decided to look at colleges anyway. “When I walked into Donnelly College for the first time, it felt different than any of the other schools I had visited. I was greeted by a warm smile that said you are welcome here. That smile belonged to Dr. Ken Gibson, and he told me ‘I hope you decide to come to Donnelly. I’m sure you will do great and if you ever have any questions, my door is always open.’ I would like to thank Dr. Gibson because he opened the very first door that has led me to where I am today. …There is no better place to start than at Donnelly.”
He also described the importance of his scholarship, noting “it would have been virtually an impossibility to continue my education without it.” He continued, “I know that in the near future I will be in medical school. And as a doctor I will be able to complete my adopted mission to provide education and community service with personal concern for the needs and abilities of each person, especially those who might not otherwise be served.
In the speech by Reginald Pennington, who earned his Associate’s Degree in 2003 through Donnelly’s campus at Lansing Correctional Facility, he talked about the impact that program made on his life. “I was given a chance to make something positive come out of my stay here in prison. … I want to make a positive impact on other people’s lives because I hurt some people when I committed my crime, and now I want to give back. Educating others is the only way to make that difference. Since completing classes like General Ethics, Psychology, English Comp., and Public Speaking, I now have the confidence and the ability to express myself properly in the other programs I am a part of, such as the Stop the Violence Coalition and Walls and Bridges Narcotics Anonymous. I get the chance to speak to others to assure them that education is the way to success and to restrain from violence, alcohol and drugs because it will alter their decision making. … I am a changed man thanks to this program.”
It was a very exciting evening to herald the accomplishments of Donnelly College, often referred to as “the hidden gem of Kansas City,” and specifically those of its students and those made under the leadership of Dr. Gibson. Scholarships were critical to these graduates’ success, and they will be to Donnelly’s current students, 89% of whom are minorities, more than 57% come from household incomes of less than $22,000 per year, and 78% of whom are the first in their families to attend college. In a very real way, scholarships are the key to enable the new growth of these students, growth that also transfers to the community by becoming stronger and more vibrant through the education of its citizens.
As Miguel and Dr. Snyder both pointed out in their speeches, “Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.”
Donnelly thanks everyone who came to this event and everyone who contributed to the scholarships funds, honoring in a special way both Ken and Jackie, as well as Donnelly’s efforts to change lives through education.
Donnelly is most grateful to all our event supporters, including:
Underwriter – $10,000
The Goppert Foundation
J.E. Dunn Construction Co.
Benefactor - $5,000
The H&R Block Foundation
DST Systems, Inc.
Dr. Ken Gibson & Dr. Jackie Snyder
Mr. & Mrs. William H. Dunn, Sr.
Patron - $2,500
Bank of America
Metropolitan Community College
Security Bank of Kansas City
Sponsors - $1,000
Anonymous
Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Bank Midwest
Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica
BKD, LLP
George Breidenthal
Cerner Corporation
Dr. Merna S. Saliman, MCC-Maple Woods
Fr. Michael Hermes
John and Mary Mendez
Johnson County Community College Foundation
Kansas City Board of Public Utilities
Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
Nebraska Furniture Mart
Park University
University of Missouri - Kansas City
Delta Circle - $500
AT&T Foundation - Kansas
Bartlett and Company Grain Charitable Foundation
Catholic Mutual Group
Joan Horan
Most Rev. James P. Keleher
Jean McGurn
Dr. & Mrs. John P. Murry
University of Saint Mary
