PJC Annual Fund campaign shows great progress
Published or Revised June 13, 2013
In his first visit to the Paris Junior College campus in 34 years, former student Don Stricklin of Austin, center, signs the paperwork to create the Marilyn Fuller Endowed Accounting Scholarship on June 5 with a $10,000 donation. Pictured with Stricklin are PJC President Dr. Pamela Anglin, left, and scholarship namesake Marilyn Fuller. Mrs. Fuller, a retired PJC faculty member, was Stricklin’s accounting instructor in the late 1970s. Stricklin received his BBA degree from Texas State University, San Marcos, spent over 30 years in the banking/investment industry and is now Chairman of Far West Capital in Austin. He is the son of Betty Stricklin of Powderly and the late Louie Stricklin.
Since the public kick-off of the inaugural Paris Junior College Annual Fund Campaign April 15 community volunteers have given their time to make follow-up calls and visits with many local businesses on behalf of the Annual Fund drive. An impressive donation total is the result.
With support from PJC faculty and staff, alumni, former students, friends and area businesses, the campaign reached $114,798.25 as of Thursday, June 6. That includes $20,615.25 from faculty and staff and $94,183 from all other donors, according to Derald Bulls, PJC's director of institutional advancement/alumni affairs.
"With the leadership of Annual Fund Co-Chairs Jo Ann Parkman and Bobby Walters and the energy of so many community volunteers, the active phase of the Annual Fund is off to a great start," Bulls said.
The campaign will continue through the end of 2013 with many more personal follow-up visits and contacts to be made. The focus of the drive was to generate resources to assist the college through unrestricted/undesignated gifts providing financial assistance where it is needed the most, scholarships, and the master plan for construction and renovation.
Since the effort began, four new endowed scholarships have been created, seven existing endowments were increased, two pass-through scholarships were given, and several donors made multiple year commitments to the Annual Fund going forward.
Co-chairs Parkman and Walters are both PJC graduates and recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award and long-time supporters of the college.
"The success thus far in this campaign has been exceptional," Walters said. "Gifts have been received from alumni, former students, friends and businesses who understand and appreciate the value of PJC to their own lives and this community."
"PJC is grateful for each and every donation," said PJC president Dr. Pamela Anglin. "The gifts will be used to enhance the academic and workforce education programs here at the college. I am thankful for our donors and community volunteers who have worked diligently on behalf of PJC during the public phase of this first Annual Fund Campaign."
There are several options available in making a one-time or annual gift which can be made by cash, check, credit card, stocks or including PJC in your will. For more information on making a gift, contact Bulls at (903) 782-0276 or dbulls@parisjc.edu.
Anyone interested in learning more about the PJC Annual Fund may download the brochure by going to: /downloads/fund13.pdf or may stop by the PJC Office of Institutional Advancement/Alumni Affairs in the Rheudasil Learning Center or at the College's switchboard in the Williams Administration Building.
