Thanks in large part to the generosity of students, staff, alumni and friends of the campus, Kent State University at Ashtabula surpassed its feature fund #KSUgives Giving Tuesday fundraising goal of $10,000, raising over $18,000 for the Susan J. Stocker Nursing Scholarship.
Thanks to an enthusiastic month-long effort by the on-campus community of students, faculty and staff, the campaign met its listed goal before a considerable donation from an anonymous benefactor on the final day helped push the final tally to almost twice the desired amount, coming in at $18,375. The gift total includes over $5,000 of matching funds, challenges and participation boosts from the Ashtabula Area College Committee, Inc., Kent State University Foundation and members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, KSU Foundation Board, Campaign Executive Committee and Board of Trustees.
“I am extremely grateful for the tremendous support of the Ashtabula Campus’s Giving Tuesday initiative and the Susan J. Stocker Nursing Scholarship,” said Interim Dean and Chief Administrative Officer R. William Ayres IV, Ph.D. “You, our faculty, staff, alumni and community once again demonstrated your belief in the difference we can make together, your donations cementing your love of our university and your belief in our mission.”
Additional funds also received considerable support during the Giving Tuesday campaign, including the Ashtabula High School Class of 1970 Scholarship Fund, Rising Scholars and the Ashtabula Faculty Endowed Scholarship fund.
The Susan J. Stocker Nursing Scholarship was established by the Ashtabula Campus and the Ashtabula Area College Committee, Inc. in 2022 to honor the 30-plus-year career of Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D. Stocker has an over four decade long connection to the campus as a student, faculty member, program director and as the school’s longest serving dean from 2001-2022.
A working mother when she went back to school to pursue her nursing degree, Stocker spent her career dedicated to student access and success, the profession of nursing, the Ashtabula community and Kent State University. The scholarship fund now supports students at Kent State Ashtabula with similar pursuits.
“We significantly exceeded our goal, raising over $18,000 which brings the total amount raised for the Susan J. Stocker Nursing Scholarship to over $38,000 since it was announced earlier this summer,” said Ayres. “The scholarship is now fully endowed, ensuring Sue Stocker’s legacy positively impacts students on our campus, ensures access to a quality education and betters our community for generations.”
Overall, Kent State University raised more than $3,600,000 through Giving Tuesday as part of the university’s Forever Brighter campaign.
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