Vision Dinner Raises More Than $460K for Scholarships and Student Support
Published
The ˿Ƶapp Foundation raised more than $460,000 from the 2022 Vision Dinner, including $50,000 for the Vision Dinner Scholarship fund.
The annual event raises money to support students while celebrating community leaders who value education. This year's honorees are Tyrance Billingsley, II, founder of Black Tech Street; Alana Hughes, director of Tulsa grantmaking for the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies; and Ron Looney, founder of Tri-Angle Development and a former ˿Ƶapp Regent.
Funds raised from Vision Dinner help to unlock the future for ˿Ƶapp students by providing scholarships, leadership development opportunities, engagement and mentoring with academic scholars and leaders, and technology and equipment necessary to prepare for today’s workforce.
"˿Ƶapp is committed to making college accessible to all and our students are succeeding because our donors believe in the power of education and what ˿Ƶapp can do for this community,” said Leigh Goodson, ˿Ƶapp president & CEO. “Our three honorees know that from experience as Tyrance attended ˿Ƶapp; Alana served as a ˿Ƶapp Foundation trustee, and Ron served 36 years as a ˿Ƶapp Regent.”
For Fall 2022, the awarded more than $420,000 in student scholarships, the most in the Foundation’s history. A portion of those funds came from $50,000 raised at last year’s Vision Dinner which provided 35 students with a $1,400 Vision Scholarship. The 2022 Vision Dinner carried on the tradition of raising $50,000, specifically for the Vision Scholarship fund, during a live ask at the event.
“This level of community support shows our donors believe in ˿Ƶapp students and are ready to invest in their success,” said Kari Shults, vice president for advancement and president of the ˿Ƶapp Foundation. “We are extremely grateful to our generous donors who understand the importance of a community college.”
The successful annual fundraising event comes following the announcement that ˿Ƶapp saw the highest graduation rate in the 52-year history of the College.
“We are graduating more students than ever before and looking ahead to our next step for post graduate success to make sure students get jobs with family sustaining wages,” said Goodson. “Ninety percent of ˿Ƶapp graduates stay in Tulsa and when our students succeed, our community succeeds.”
The 2022 Vision Dinner, chaired by Molly Jarvis, a ˿Ƶapp Foundation Trustee, featured dinner, dancing, and tributes to each honoree. Anthony C. Brinkley recited a spoken word tribute to Billingsley, II; ˿Ƶapp student Savanah Whalen sang a solo tribute to Hughes; and Signature Symphony at ˿Ƶapp performed a musical tribute to Looney.