Ogeechee Technical College Foundation Announces 2017 iGot Dates
Staff Report From Savannah CEO
Monday, March 20th, 2017
Community volunteers will hit the streets on March 21 for the 2017 iGot campaign, according to Dewey Newton, Ogeechee Technical College Foundation president. Volunteers will work in pairs as they call on local businesses to offer information about Ogeechee Technical College and to ask for support for the Foundation. The Ogeechee Technical College Foundation supports the College with funds for student scholarships, student emergency funds, equipment purchases for academic programs, staff development opportunities, and other initiatives that benefit the College and its students.
“Receiving a scholarship or other assistance can make the difference in a student completing their program of study and graduating, or not,” said Newton. “When a student graduates, gets a job, and begins contributing to society, then the investment in their education is worth it.” The Foundation has also funded the purchase of property to help expand the College’s campus, something critically important to future growth. With little available land in the industrial park where OTC’s main campus is located, taking advantage of available property was critical to allowing the College space for future growth and expansion, according to Lori Durden, President of OTC. “Without additional land on which to build, we would find it hard to fit future buildings onto our campus without crowding other facilities,” said Durden.
A central message of the iGot campaign is the Foundation’s support of all the programs at Ogeechee Tech, programs which produce graduates who are employed in the communities served by the College, and who work to make people’s lives better. “We encourage citizens to consider how graduates of Ogeechee Tech impact their lives on a daily basis—as chefs, police officers, healthcare providers, accountants, childcare workers, veterinary technicians, and many other professions. So many of the folks who make our lives better get their education at Ogeechee Tech,” stated Newton. “Ultimately, your support of the Ogeechee Technical College Foundation pays dividends by providing professionals to serve you, in numerous areas.”
Evans County will conduct their iGot campaign on March 21 as well, but Screven County has been canvasing businesses since March 7. The employees at the College have also had an internal campaign, to demonstrate the investment of the faculty and staff in the College and its mission, according to Durden.