MADISONVILLE, Ky.--John Peters, advancement director at Madisonville Community College, has been selected as the 2007 Campus Impact Award winner by the Council for Resource Development (CRD) in Washington, D.C.

The national award is designated to an outstanding fund raising professional who has demonstrated excellence in obtaining private support and garnering public advocacy for their respective community and/or technical college. Peters is the first recipient of the Impact Award, established by CRD to recognize excellence in support of academic endeavors. Peters, a native of Carlisle, Ky. and 1981 University of Kentucky graduate, has worked at MCC since December 1990 and has held the Advancement position since October 1992.

During his tenure, Madisonville has obtained $21 million in gifts to support academic excellence, arts and humanities programming, direct support of the Joe Davis Science Building, the P.A. and Pauline Shaver Center in Muhlenberg County, and the Brown Badgett, Sr. Energy and Advanced Technology Center and scholarships. From 1993 through 2007, Peters successfully directed two major gifts campaigns, Partners in Progress and Fulfilling the Promise.

These two campaigns have raised over $15.3 million collectively for MCC, and Madisonville has ranked among the "top 25" two-year colleges nationally in cash giving in three academic years-1996, 2000, and 2007.

MCC President Dr. Judith Rhoads nominated Peters for the award in spring 2007 and both she and Madisonville College Foundation Officer and Muhlenberg County native Joe Ben Tucker were thrilled with the CRD selection.

"John has been an asset for our entire county for 15 years," said Tucker. "What he and Dr. Rhoads have accomplished will keep our local campus and its 700 students strong for generations. I am thrilled he received this national award. He has earned it."

Peters will be recognized by his peers across the country at CRD's national conference in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, November 1. In addition to his Advancement position, Peters has also held leadership positions with Leadership Hopkins County, Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Hopkins and Muhlenberg counties, the Madisonville Rotary Club, the Hopkins County Education Foundation, and the Central City and Madisonville-Hopkins County Chambers of Commerce.

Peters is also a contributor to Madisonville's Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, the Muhlenberg County Campus, and is a University of Kentucky Fellow. Prior to moving to western Kentucky, Peters was a job-training project director with Buffalo Trace Area Development District in Maysville.