WINTERVILLE—The Pitt Community College Foundation held its very first fundraiser in the new Eddie & Jo Allison Smith Center for Student Advancement and generated $28,578.11 for student scholarships — a $6,433.95 increase from the previous year.
The 2023 Spring Scholarship Event, titled “Building Futures in our Backyard,” took place April 14 in the Chris Smith Multipurpose Room and TowneBank Patio. In addition to raising scholarship funding, it gave the PCC Foundation a chance to celebrate the Smith Center’s opening with Pitt supporters.
Dedicated on April 6, the 28,000-square-foot building houses PCC’s Institutional Advancement Division, which includes the PCC Foundation and Pitt’s marketing and media relations departments. It’s also home to the VISIONS Career Development and Scholarship Program and Slocum-Bunch Veterans Center, which provides services to PCC’s student veteran population.
Approximately 150 supporters came out for the annual fundraiser and heard PCC President Lawrence Rouse share the college’s plans for future growth, which will literally take place in the Smith Center’s backyard. The program also featured remarks from PCC Foundation Board Chairman Randy Collier, PCC Trustees Chairman Gary Evans, Greenville ENC Alliance President Josh Lewis, First Citizen Wealth Management’s Hank Dunbar, and PCC VISIONS student Soniya Newsome, who spoke about the impact the career development and scholarship program has had on her life.
PCC Special Events Coordinator Jennifer Vogt said a number of PCC Foundation supporters and local businesses helped make this year’s Spring Scholarship Event a success. She gave special thanks to Seven Pines Vineyard, Country Squire Winery, Carolina Eagle Distributing and Phoenix Signs for their contributions and thanked the following sponsors for their support of PCC students:
- Premium Sponsors — Institutional Interiors, Grady-White Boats, Ward and Smith P.A., Pitt Community College, Brown & Wood, Lautares Jewelers, and Tom Taft, Sr. and family.
- Table Sponsors — Meridian Park, Carolina Hardscapes & Mulch, Emily Monk Davidson, Farmville Furniture Co., First Citizens Bank, Alliance One/Pyxus, TowneBank, First Bank, Greenville ENC Alliance, Barnhill Contracting Company, Mosquito Authority, and Mike & Page Aman.
- Friend of PCC Sponsors — Sam Jones BBQ, Visit Greenville NC, Smith Funeral Service & Crematory, Jefferson’s, Igoe Creative, Randy & Dwight Collier, Cassius Williams, Sylvia Craft, and Ann Land.