For Immediate Release
Contact: Kim Schmelz, Foundation Director
Phone: 608.822.2379
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: November 7, 2019
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Foundation Receives Grant from Benton
Fennimore -Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Foundation announces that it has received a grant from the Benton Community Fund and the Benton Community Specialist Projects Fund of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, Inc. to support their project entitled Fuel a Charger program.
The Fuel a Charger program is a fund that has been established in the Southwest Tech Foundation to provide gas cards to students to assist with the cost of commuting, internships, clinicals and other employment opportunities.
In 2018-19, 44% of the nearly 2,700 students enrolled in an associate’s degree or technical diploma were categorized as economically disadvantaged by the Wisconsin Technical College System. Over the past three years, the number one emergency request from students has been for assistance with commuting costs and car repairs. A new wrap-around student support program, Charge Forward, has been initiated in the 2019-20 academic year to specifically help at-risk students be successful in college. Providing gas cards to these identified students is part of the planned support to increase student retention and graduation.
College and national research found that students who do not complete their program cite financial reasons as the cause. Gas cards and other support program are a critical factor in Southwest Tech’s above average retention and graduation rates.
Gina Trollop, Southwest Tech Mental Health Counselor, is responsible for the distribution of gas cards to students in need. Trollop meets with students, discusses their needs and help them find resources on and off campus. In regards to the gas card program she said, “A $20 gas card, is often the difference in a student making it to and from school on occasion. Our students are very fortunate to have such generous donors in the community and they certainly do appreciate it!”
The Southwest Tech Foundation is appreciative of the gift from the Benton Community Fund and the Benton Community Special Projects Fund. “We are proud to be a part of the $105,000 that the Benton Community Fund has awarded in grants to improve and enhance the community,” said Kim Schmelz, director of External Relations and Alumni Development at Southwest Tech.
The Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin is a resource for area nonprofit organizations whose programs and services are working for the betterment of our communities. Grants from the Benton Community Fund and the Benton Community Special Projects Fund have supported the arts, education, environment, health and human service and historic preservation.
For more information about the Fuel a Charger program or other funding opportunities with Southwest Tech please contact the Southwest Tech Foundation office at 608.822.2379.
For more information on how you can support your community through the Community Foundation, contact Linda Gebhardt or visit our website at www.cfsw.org. The Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin serves eight counties: Crawford, Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Rock, Vernon, and Walworth.
Photo: Shianna Shultz, Southwest Tech student