For the City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The Mid-State Technical College Foundation’s two major annual fundraising campaigns surpassed goals set by the organization this year. The annual end-of-the-year “Friends of the Foundation” campaign, launched in mid-November, raised over $65,700 from the community by the end of December. This February, the Mid-State employee-giving campaign exceeded its $25,000 fundraising goal.

Both campaigns saw significant increases in giving compared to previous years. The annual giving campaign saw an increase in donations of $42,491, a 183-percent increase from last year. Participation in the employee-giving campaign went up by eight percent and saw growth of 25 percent in the amount raised.

“This increase in contributions is a good sign that people in the community are increasingly aware of Mid-State’s mission to transform lives through education,” said Jill Steckbauer, director of Mid-State’s Foundation & Alumni. “Even given Mid-State’s already affordable tuition, it’s exciting to see so many individuals and businesses supporting the work we’re doing to combat the problem of student debt,” she added.

Funds raised in the Foundation’s annual campaigns support a variety of scholarships and needs-based grants for individual students. According to Tom Ekelin, Foundation Board president, many donors give because they know it will come back to the community. “Paying it forward enables scholarships to be given so students will contribute toward supporting our communities in the future,” he said.

Find the list of Mid-State’s donors and more information about the Foundation & Alumni’s efforts to help students reach their educational goals atwww.mstc.edu/foundation.