Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer For two decades Owensboro Community & Technical College has added immeasurably to the higher education framework of this community. Its ancillary campuses and the impressive, still growing main campus on U.S. 231 provide worlds of opportunity for people looking to improve their futures at affordable state tuition rates. But as anyone familiar with higher education funding in Kentucky knows, colleges and universities need more money than they receive from Frankfort, much more most of the time. OCTC is not an exception. Therefore, congratulations are in order for the OCTC Foundation for exceeding its five-year fundraising campaign goal by a wide margin, which will help make sure the college has the funds it needs to supplement its state allocation and offer the kinds of programs and services thousands of full-time and part-time students need. The major gifts campaign set a goal of $3 million. Last week, Cathy Baker, the foundation's executive director, reported to the OCTC board that the effort brought in $3.45 million -- 15 percent more than the goal. The bulk of the money and in-kind donations will go to support education programs the community needs but for which no state funding is available. A large chunk will go to student scholarships. The campaign had good leadership and good support throughout the community, including OCTC employees, who dug down and contributed more than $140,000 to launch the campaign in 2002. Before the campaign went public in 2003, the board foundation gave nearly $570,000. Baker, who is leaving OCTC soon after a dozen years, deserves credit, as does former OCTC President Jacqueline Addington, for their leadership throughout the drive. The public's support of the campaign -- more than $1.7 million in donations -- is commendable and demonstrates how important OCTC is to many people who understand the contributions it has made and will continue to make to the educational needs of the area.