Members of the Bell County Industrial Foundation recently received news about the fund raising campaign being implemented by Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKCTC). The undertaking is named "Fulfilling the Promise," and is a campaign with the goal of generating much needed funding for the local College.

During a recent meeting of the Bell County Industrial Foundation, members obtained some valuable insights into recent fund raising efforts and learned how Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College has made a constructive impact on Bell County and southeast Kentucky for over 40 years. Bob Vaughn, Bell County campaign chairman for the campaign, who is also a member of the Bell County Industrial Foundation, extended the offer recently for board members to receive a comprehensive overview of the campaign. He noted that the "piggy back" meeting was held largely due to the close partnership enjoyed between Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College and the Bell County Industrial Foundation.

"Accessible higher education is a key element for the continued economic growth in Bell County," said Vaughn. "Members of the Bell County Industrial Foundation have long been passionate supporters of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, and for many years the College has worked to provide a better quality of life for those it serves throughout southeast Kentucky. We want to be able to continue to provide quality higher education in Bell County on the Middlesboro and Pineville campuses, but we need your support to do so," he told foundation members.

Vaughn mentioned that during the next few weeks the Fulfilling the Promise Campaign will be in full swing in Bell County, and many members of the community will likely be contacted by campaign workers who will solicit financial assistance for SKCTC to be used in a myriad of areas. Fulfilling the Promise according to President, Dr. W. Bruce Ayers, is a major gifts campaign presently underway at the College and at a number of community colleges within the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

A campaign goal of $4,725,000 has been set by SKCTC to raise money to fund: endowed student scholarships, student leadership workships, the Southeast Scholars Program, the EXPLORE College Fund Endowment, an equipment and technology fund endowment, an unrestricted endowment fund and capital construction projects on each of Southeast's campuses located at Middlesboro, Pineville, Harlan, Cumberland, and Whitesburg.

Ayers noted that the Fulfilling the Promise Campaign will involve a number of people in leadership roles who are external to the College. Rayburn Doss, who serves as chairman of the Southeast Education Foundation and owner of Doss-Fuelco, Inc., is serving as the overall chairman of the campaign. Doss served as campaign chairman during the college' last successful Partners in Progress Campaign in the 1990's.

Locally, Robert W. "Bob" Vaughn, of Middlesboro, is providing campaign leadership. He is co-founder of Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers, Inc., a multi-state planning/architectural/engineering firm. He has been on the Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Board of Directors for the past 10 years.

In Harlan County, Sandy Miller will be at the helm providing leadership to raise friends and funds for Southeast; while Carl Banks, a resident of Letcher County, is heading the fund raising efforts for SKCTC in that area.

In addition to the campaign chairs, F.N. "Nicey" Hazen, chairman of the Board of Directors for Southeast, Dr. Meredith Evans, a retired physician from Bell County who has helped with previous campaigns, Helen Smith, former board of directors chairperson, who has extensive service in previous campaigns, and Penny Ritter, who spearheaded past fund-raising efforts in Letcher County, round out the external campaign leadership team. Sheila Miracle and Vic Adams are providing internal campaign leadership on the Middlesboro Campus; with Bobby Grubbs and Elizabeth Greene coordinating efforts at the Pineville Campus.

Dr. Judy Leonard, director of advancement for Southeast, is managing the Fulfilling the Promise Campaign. She can be reached for additional information about the campaign by calling Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Cumberland Campus at 589-2145, ext. 2135.