An innovative challenge grant from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Founda-tion provides dozens of Mt. Hood Com-munity College scholarships.

C   ounting the contributions to our community made by the James F.

and Marion L. Miller Foundation would take a very long time, but here’s one num-ber to begin with: 41. That’s how many much-needed MHCC scholarships the Miller Foundation funded in the first year of their community col-lege challenge alone.

Through a novel and inspiring two-year — and now extended to a third — scholarship challenge grant to Oregon’s 17 community colleges, the Miller Foundation demonstrated its commitment to education and the arts in our state. Their support embodies the MHCC Community Partnership ideal of inspired volunteer spirit and educational achievement, and the MHCC Board of

Education was pleased to honor the Miller Foundation with one of two Community Partnership Awards presented in May.

With some $1.5 million set aside each year for community colleges meeting the chal-lenge amount — MHCC needs to raise $120,000 by March 31, 2011, to receive the full grant (and yes, that’s a hint) — a lot of futures are being changed and en-hanced around Oregon.

The namesake foundation continues the vision of the late James “Jimmy” Miller and his wife of 68 years, Marion. The Mill-ers were passionate about learning and

culture and their foundation was created in 2002 to support the arts and education.

“We congratulate and thank the Miller Foundation,” says Dr. John J. “Ski” Sygielski, president of MHCC. “Their ongoing efforts greatly enhance both the College and our community, and we are grateful for their outstanding support.”

“This scholarship will help me pursue my educational goals and receive my associate degree from MHCC,” writes one of the first 41 grate-ful recipients. “I plan to go on to Oregon State University next year, then to graduate school in teacher education at Portland State.”

From challenge grant to a young teacher taking up the challenge — that’s the difference made by this vi-tal community partner. And you can be part of that difference. We urge

you to support deserving MHCC students by helping us meet the challenge.

miller foundation impacts students

“ I am one of the lucky students who has been selected to receive the Miller Scholarship, with your support, I will continue with my studies and put myself one step closer to the life I imagined. Thank you.”

“I understand and appreciate

the value of hard work to reach my goals. With this scholar-ship, I will reach my goals ~ thank you!”

How will tomorrow be different for the recipients of the Miller Foundation scholarships and, as a result, for the community in which we all live and work? Here are just a few of their reactions to this vital help:

miller scholars’ words of thanks

Help us meet the Miller Foundation Scholarship Matching Challenge!

Please use the enclosed gift envelope to designate your scholarship gift and mark the James F. and

Marion L. Miller Foundation Scholarship Challenge or contact the Foundation at

503-491-7204 or e-mail give@mhcc.edu.

— Alma D. Romero de Ruiz,

Criminal Justice

— Andriy Baydala,General Studies

— Sarah McQuigg,Funeral Services

“My family moved here from Seattle so I could fulfill my dreams of attending the funeral service pro-gram at MHCC, I cannot express how much I appreciate your generosity.”

N E W S L E T T E RNews from the Mt. Hood Community College Foundation • Summer 2010

The MHCC Foundation garden party and auction benefiting our students was a real winner.

T     he MHCC Foundation “Seed Our Future — Help Us Grow” garden party and auction in May generated more

than $170,000 to support vital education and opportunity for our students. Our thanks go out to our sponsors, donors, volunteers and guests. The upbeat auctioneer, who also goes by the name of John J. “Ski” Sygielski, MHCC president, kept things hopping. NewsChannel 8 meteorologist and emcee Nick Allard ran the show to perfection. From the opening notes of the MHCC Jazz Combo to the bring-down-the-house set by featured entertainer and Grammy Award-nominated artist (and MHCC alumnus) Patrick Lamb, the music was amazing. Patrick and his band even stayed on to play late as guests cleared an impromptu dance floor.

One of the highlights of the evening was the opportunity to hear MHCC alumnus Tim Vidito talk about what MHCC Foundation scholarship support has meant to him. A few years ago, Tim was a cash-strapped kid without a high-school diploma but with a big dream — he wanted to be a physician. The MHCC GED program and a MHCC Foundation scholarship turned things around.

“Mt. Hood gave me the opportunity of a lifetime,” he told the audience, “and I will never forget that.”

Vidito has gone on to graduate from Portland State University and had just taken his medical school entrance exams on the morning of the auction! His is only one of the inspiring stories that begin with the kind of generosity that was on display that spring evening.

We also owe a big thank-you to our presenting sponsor for the event, Weston Pontiac Buick GMC Kia and our auction committee led by co-chairs Pat Fiedler and Kathy Toynbee.

You don’t want to miss next year’s event Saturday May 7, 2011 (who knows what Dr. Ski will wear!), so watch this newsletter for details.

sowing the seeds

Photos: (top) Auction attendees dancing to the music of Patrick Lamb, (middle) MHCC Foundation board member Michael Patrick, (bottom) Jeni Weston enjoying the live auction.

“Mt. Hood gave me the

opportunity of a lifetime, and I will never

forget that.” — Tim Vidito,

MHCC Alumnus

A new scholarship created by Jan Entenmann honors her late grandson and will help support a generation of MHCC students.

T     he bombs had actually been paved right into the new road. That’s what it was like in Iraq in the fall of 2004.

The U.S. tank commander, Jeremy Christensen, was driving the vehicle that day, because his usual driver had needed a break. The tank was passing two schoolgirls by the side of the road when it rolled over the hidden explosives, and the massive blast threw the tank into the air, killing Christensen and others, including the two little girls.

Christensen, who had earned a Bronze Star not long after arriving in Iraq, was a month from coming home. He had been in the Army for eight years, much of that time in the Reserves. But when the attacks of 9/11 happened, he had returned to active duty, drawn to serve his country on the front lines.

Christensen was Jan Entenmann’s oldest grandson, and she, along with the rest of the family, was shattered.

“It took all of us a while to get our feet back on the ground,” she says. “I didn’t really know what to do with myself, then an idea

slowly started to come to me — a way to honor my grand-son’s sacrifice and let his dreams live on.”

Those dreams began several years before in the GED pro-gram at MHCC. When Christensen was 12, he was hit by a car. The long recovery put him far behind in school, and by the time he had reached high school age the GED program was the only way he could catch up with his classmates and reach his post-graduation goal: joining the U.S. Army. After serving, he dreamed of working in law enforcement.

That all ended on the tragic November day in 2004 — but then Entenmann decided that her grandson’s goals wouldn’t just disappear.

“Jeremy’s life mattered,” she says, “and I wanted a way to honor him and at the same time help his dreams be fulfilled through some other deserving students.”

So Entenmann met with MHCC Foundation Director Sunny Klever and created a need-based yearly scholarship for an outstanding GED graduate, providing him or her with funds to help continue on to college courses at MHCC. The scholarship is funded for the next 20 years by a provision in Entenmann’s will — which makes her a proud member of the MHCC Foundation Heritage Society.

“I’ve never felt so good as when I walked out of the office after setting up the scholarship,” Entenmann remem-bers. “It’s so rewarding to know that I can help someone follow their goals.”

The Jeremy Christensen Scholarship was presented for the first time at the MHCC GED graduation ceremony on June 10, and Entenmann was there to pass on some memories of her grandson.

You can make a similar difference in the lives of MHCC students, and create opportunities and accomplishments that will stretch far forward into the future. Explore a gift to the MHCC Foundation — you’ll be surprised how simple it is to change the world with the power of your generosity and the strength of our community.

dreams live on

Make Education your Heritage

The Heritage Society was established to honor and thank special friends of the college who have set something aside for the Mt. Hood Community College Foundation in their estate plans. These generous donors have shown how much they value education by creating a legacy of support for years to come, using tools that include bequests, life income arrangements, beneficiary designations and other forms of planned and deferred gifts.

For more information on joining the Heritage Society and smart ways to make planned giving work for you, please contact the MHCC Foundation at 503-491-7204 or give@mhcc.edu.

“Mt. Hood gave me the

opportunity of a lifetime, and I will never

forget that.” — Tim Vidito,

MHCC Alumnus

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PA I DBELLINGHAM, WA

PERMIT NO. 114

Patrick Lamb

Paul CapellKathy ClevengerDonald E. DeVore

Rich Egner, Jr.Pat Fiedler

Mark GarberRon Gullberg

Martin HertrichStan Hymel

Nancy Jaksich

Peggy JohansenJudi Krussow

Robin McGregorGreg MettlerSandra MillerMarv Ogle

Michael PatrickJane Patterson

Tom PerrickMary Zoe Petersen

Leslie RadkeTheresa RockoveRobert RockwellBeverly Russell

John J. “Ski” SygielskiKathy Toynbee

Wendy VondrakMarvin Woidyla

Marilyn Zook

HELP US GO GREEN Join our e-mail list

If you would like to receive this newsletter and other information electronically reply to

give@mhcc.edu.

Thanks to many, the MHCC Foundation auction was a great success! Read the details

inside and don’t miss the party next year!

Save the Date! Foundation Auction and Dinner

Saturday, May 7, 2011 Portland Waterfront Marriott Hotel

Mt. Hood Community College Foundation Board of Directors

Foundation StaffElizabeth Gomez

Sunny KleverCassie McVeetyWendy Patton

Newsletter ContributorsSpring Bastow

Pat CaseyJennifer FurnissBarbara Howell Todd Schwartz