Basic Organization Information
Valencia Community College Foundation Inc.
- Physical Address:
-
Orlando, FL
32801
- EIN:
-
23-7442785
- Web URL:
-
WWW.VALENCIA.ORG
- NTEE Category:
-
B Educational Institutions
-
B11 Single Organization Support
-
B Educational Institutions
-
B82 Scholarships, Student Financial Aid, Awards
-
B Educational Institutions
-
B41 Community/Junior College
- Year Founded:
-
1974
- Ruling Year:
-
1976
Login or register to see this organization's full address, contact information, and more!
Mission Statement
Valencia Foundation’s mission is to enhance learning, workforce training and economic development in Central Florida through the support of scholarships, teaching chairs, programs and buildings for Valencia Community College (Valencia).
Expert Reviews
There are no Expert Reviews for this organization. Learn more about
TakeAction@GuideStar.
Impact Statement
Scholarships serve as the main programs for the foundation and support the ultimate goal of removing financial barriers to education for those who wish to attend Valencia.
During the 09-10 fiscal year, Valencia Foundation:
· Disbursed more than $1.9 million for scholarships and student support, including the purchase of prepaid tuition scholarships to benefit future high school graduates from the local community.
· Provided more than $1 million in academic, teaching chair and program support to Valencia Community College.
· Celebrated second successful year of mentoring students under the Take Stock in Children program. Donor contributions to the program are used to purchase prepaid tuition scholarships at a discounted rate through a special state match program with Florida Prepaid College Foundation. Participating students from local middle schools who successfully complete the program receive a 2+2 prepaid tuition scholarship.
· Collaborated with UCF to generate funds for the 2+2 DirectConnect program, which ensures Valencia graduates a seat at the university.
· Expanded its reach to donors through a variety of media, including social networks. These channels introduced new audiences and deepened relationships with current constituents.
· Conducted the foundation’s fourth Taste event, and began preparing for the fifth on April 2, 2011.
· Increased faculty and staff donations to the foundation by 30 percent, from $95,300 to $124,300.
· Inducted 29 members into the foundation Legacy Society, which represents individuals who have made a planned gift to the foundation.
· Increased average gift size from $607 to $675, or 11 percent.
· Increased contributions by 33 percent over prior prior year, largely because of a significant donation and in part because of an integrated communication strategy.
· Recognized donors at the annual gala, which was hosted on Valencia Community College’s West Campus to unveil the new Special Events Center as well as to conserve funds in a challenging economy.
Valencia Foundation does not deduct a percentage of a donor’s gift or apply an administrative fee for operating expenses. 100 percent of every gift to Valencia Foundation goes directly to the donor’s intention.
Revenue and Expenses
Login or register to view this information.
Chief Executive
Geraldine Gallagher, CFRE
Term:
Since
Feb
2001
Chief Executive Profile:
Geraldine Gallagher, CFRE, has been president of Valencia Foundation since 2001. She comes to the foundation with more than 15 years of experience in communications, marketing and fund development. She worked for a decade at North Harris College, a 10,000-student community college in Houston, where she served as chief development and marketing officer. Her responsibilities included fundraising, communcations, media relations, special events and partnerships.
For two years, Geraldine served as chief marketing and communications officer for the Illinois Department on Aging's Chicago office, where she launched a statewide multimedia campaign to raise the issue of elder abuse among caregivers and professionals who serve older adults. As a journalist for six years, she published more than 1,500 articles in local, regional and national publications.
Geraldine earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, with a minor in the field of gerontology. She attained a master's degree in education from Northwestern University, earning half of her credit hours in Kellogg Graduate School of Management's MBA program. She has pursued post-graduate study at Rice University, Texas A&M University and Our Lady of the Lake University. She was granted CFRE certification upon assessment and examination by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
CEO/Executive Director Statement:
Valencia is a place of great hope. You see it in the faces of our students. You witness it in the nurturing hands of faculty and staff who guide students through their learning odysseys and help them overcome hurdles. On commencement day, hope is manifest as graduates – some proudly, some humbly and others doing a little jig – cross the stage to accept their hard-earned diplomas.
While our nation faces enormous challenges, it is comforting to know that hope abides.
What is even more heartening is to watch our students’ hope evolve, little by little, into faith: faith that they can withstand challenges and not only survive but thrive; faith in their own abilities and intelligence; faith that allows them to accept help from others.
Among the knowledge gained at Valencia, perhaps the most important lesson a student can learn is to keep faith. I cannot count the number of times a student has explained to me that her scholarship marked the first time that anyone believed in her – and, to her astonishment, believed so much that they were willing to invest in her future.
The economic forces impacting our own investments, real estate, spending and businesses are rocking the worlds of students and those who wish to attend college. Monetary issues remain three of the top five reasons students must drop out of college. Many potential Valencians will never get to the college door because they simply cannot fathom how to juggle their living expenses with tuition and book costs.
Among our enrolled students – and despite an aggressive, growing financial aid program – we still meet less than half the documented financial need. So these individuals struggle. Some will make it, thanks to scholarships funded by our benefactors. Others will fall by the wayside, unable to afford college.
Yet I remain hopeful and filled with faith that there will come a day when no deserving Central Floridian is shut out of college because of finances.
Every gift makes a difference. You make the difference.
Officers for Fiscal Year
Subscribe to GuideStar
Premium to view this information, if available.
Highest Paid Employees & Their Compensation
Subscribe to GuideStar
Premium to view this information, if available.
Program:
Scholarships
- Budget:
-
$828,550
- Category:
-
Education, General/Other
- Population Served:
-
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
-
General Public/Unspecified
-
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
Program Description:
Scholarships serve as the main program for Valencia Foundation. The foundation maintains more than 500 named scholarships and awarded more than 1.9 million for scholarships and sudent support in fiscal year 09-10.
Thanks to the generosity of our Valencia Foundation donors, the college is able to award scholarships to students in need. Endowments provide Valencia with predictable and assured sources of financial assistance that guarantee access to higher education for those who are economically disadvantaged. Scholarship opportunities also exist for those in specific categories, including area of residence, program of study and personal interests.
For more information about scholarships, please visit the Financial Aid Office at any of Valencia’s campuses. Applications can be found through the foundation’s Web site (
www.valencia.org) under the
Scholarships tab.
Program Long-Term Success:
Program Short-Term Success:
Program Success Monitored by:
Program Success Examples:
Program:
Endowed Chairs for Learning Leadership
- Budget:
-
$152,600
- Category:
-
Education, General/Other
- Population Served:
-
Adults
Program Description:
The Endowed Chairs for Learning Leadership program has been established to recognize and promote academic excellence at Valencia Community College. The program honors outstanding members of the Valencia teaching faculty and provides resources needed for advancement of instruction at Valencia. In contrast to endowed chair programs at four-year institutions, which aim to attract preeminent researchers, this program recognizes and supports the Valencia faculty.
Learning Leadership Chairs have been established in two categories. Category I awards are awarded to faculty to fund a proposed learning experience that supports the college’s mission, vision and values and has a connection to student learning. Category II awards provide funding for projects that enhance learning-centered activities and/or foster professional development departmentally, college wide, within a discipline or within the Central Florida community.
Program Long-Term Success:
Program Short-Term Success:
Program Success Monitored by:
Program Success Examples:
Program:
Take Stock in Children
- Budget:
-
$410,918
- Category:
-
Education, General/Other
- Population Served:
-
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
-
Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
-
Children and Youth (infants - 19 years.)
Program Description:
Take Stock in Children of Orange County is administered by Valencia Community College, in collaboration with Orange County Public Schools. It is part of a statewide program that provides underserved children with a college scholarship and a mentor in the effort to help them stay in school, earn a high school diploma, graduate from college and enter the workforce.
Participating children begin the program in the eighth grade and continue on until they graduate high school. They must sign performance contracts agreeing to get good grades, exhibit positive behaviors and remain drug and crime free. In return, they will receive a 2 + 2 Florida Pre-Paid scholarship, which provides two years tuition at any community college followed by two years tuition at any state university.
Program Long-Term Success:
Program Short-Term Success:
Program Success Monitored by:
Program Success Examples:
Take Stock in Children scholars’ high school graduation rate is 42% higher than Florida’s average, and 61% higher than their at-risk peer group. Their college enrollment rate is 45% higher than Florida’s average, and, amazingly, it is almost triple their at-risk peer group. Finally, Take Stock in Children scholars’ college graduation rate is 25% higher than Florida’s average and is 140% higher than their at-risk peer group.
Funding Needs
Although Valencia’s tuition is very affordable, many of our students still face financial challenges that keep them out of college. Scholarships are needed to ensure access to those who need it most in our community and to keep current students on the path to a successful future. We are committed to the belief that no one should be denied access to an education due to financial obstacles - and that through scholarships, students have an opportunity to achieve their educational dreams.
Request for In-Kind Contributions