Emily Ray, 270-824-8581, emily.ray@kctcs.edu 

CENTRAL CITY, Ky.--Madisonville Community College has announced that Tom and Mary "Skip" Shaver of Thousand Oaks, Calif. have designated a lead gift to MCC's Muhlenberg County Campus in honor and memory of Tom's parents, the late P.A. and Pauline Shaver of Central City, Ky.

The gift, valued at $750,000 to be paid over a five-year period, will provide permanent support for academic instruction, increased scholarship opportunities and arts programming support for the Muhlenberg County Campus and primary students throughout Muhlenberg County.  Tom Shaver is a graduate of Central City High School; Mr. P.A Shaver was a long-time Muhlenberg business leader and member/Chairman of the Central City Independent Board of Education, and both P.A. and Pauline were active for five decades in the development of Muhlenberg County.

The announcement was made at MCC's Muhlenberg Campus on August 16 by MCC President Dr. Judith L. Rhoads, Judge Bill R. Paxton of the college's Board of Directors, and Joe Ben Tucker, vice-president of the Madisonville College Foundation. 

In recognition of the gift level the college has officially requested that the Kentucky Community and Technical College System approve renaming of the current building on the Muhlenberg Campus the P.A. & Pauline Shaver Education Center.  This naming request will be reviewed by the KCTCS Board of Regents at the September 27 and 28 Regents meeting. 

The $750,000 multi-year pledge meets all naming requirements previously approved by the Madisonville Community College administration and its Board of Directors. The gift is one of the five largest individual pledges ever received by MCC.

During the announcement, Tom Shaver stated, "Throughout my parents' lives they were strong supporters of education and we are pleased we can honor this legacy.  It was their hope that this assistance would help provide opportunities for young men and women of Muhlenberg County to further their academic growth. We are proud to provide this lasting, endowed gift to Madisonville Community College."

Tucker, the college's Foundation vice-chairman and long-time college advocate stated, "P.A. and Pauline both worked tirelessly to make Muhlenberg County, and in particular, our schools better. What better way to thank Tom and Skip, and to recognize five decades of work.

"This gift will permanently change the way MCC can help our families achieve a college degree. I am thrilled Dr. Rhoads and the whole MCC family have requested this naming in recognition of all the Shaver family has done," Tucker said.

Dr. Judith L. Rhoads, who has presided over several major advancement-related announcements during the past five years, was ecstatic that a couple that has experienced such professional success should help their hometown in such a generous way. 

"This gift continues to set Muhlenberg County apart as a national model of post-secondary education success and public advocacy. We have over 600 students attending college in Muhlenberg County, and private contributors continue to make sure the campus remains successful.  Tom and Skip's gift is a wonderful gesture, and is the highlight of our entire academic year," Rhoads said.

The Shaver's gift brings the pledge total for MCC's Fulfilling the Promise Gifts Campaign to just over $9.1 million. Since 1993, Madisonville Community College has received $5.5 million in local gifts to support the Muhlenberg County Campus.