August 18, 2022 – Last Thursday, Richland Community College Foundation honored several community members and businesses for their generosity at the 2022 Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration.
In the past year, the Foundation awarded $927,000 in scholarships, exceeding their fundraising goal by 12%. The staff worked with local businesses, bringing in more than $3.3 million dollars to establish new educational programs. They even hired two new staff members to make a greater impact on Richland and the community.
At the Annual Meeting, 15 awards were presented, including:
Foundation Awards
- Distinguished Service Award – Chef Brian Tucker
- Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year – Ritchie and Sandy Barnett
- Outstanding Philanthropic Organizations – Decatur Memorial Foundation & ADM Cares
Mission Impact Awards (renamed to Novak Mission Impact Award)
- John Ullrich Foundation
- Greg Florian
- Dr. Charles & Mary Jo Novak
Alumnus Award
- Dominique Bates-Smith
College Awards
- Professor Emeritus: Robert Grindy
- Faculty of the Year: Dr. Laurie Hughes
- Tenure: Dr. David Larrick and Christopher Schmersahl
Promotions
- Instructor to Assistant Professor: Paula Rudolph
- Associate Professor to Professor: Christopher Schmersahl
- Associate Professor, to Professor: Michelle Stephens
Learn more about each award winner below:
2022 Distinguished Service Award – Chef Brian Tucker
Chef Brian Tucker is well-known for going above and beyond for Richland and the Foundation, according to Julie Melton (Executive Director of the Foundation), “when we realized that Brian was already booked for today, he did everything in his power to be here tonight.”
Chef Tucker’s service even extends past Richland. From the Farm to Fund for the Northeast Community Fund or the Culinary Cook-off with Good Samaritan Inn, Chef Tucker treats the Decatur community to his culinary talents.
Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year – Ritchie and Sandy Barnett
The Barnetts have been giving to Richland Community College Foundation for nearly 25 consecutive years. In 2010, they established the George M. Barnett and Emerald Ritchie Barnett Education Scholarship and in 2015, they established the Ritchie G. and Sandra T. Barnett Endowed Scholarship.
Through their generosity, they provided scholarships to 65 students attending Richland Community College.
Outstanding Philanthropic Organization – Decatur Memorial Foundation
In February, the Decatur Memorial Foundation granted $3.2 million to expand Richland Community College’s nursing and clinical programs over the next four years. This grant will establish the EnRich Healthcare Program, which will address the unprecedented shortage of nurses and allow Richland to meet the needs of DMH by building a stronger, more resilient workforce. Since the announcement, Richland has more than 100 individuals enrolled in the program at various entry points and hope to graduate the first cohort of nurses this December.
Outstanding Philanthropic Organization – ADM & ADM Cares
Since 1987, ADM has been giving to Richland Community College – a partnership that has lasted nearly 35 years. Over the past three and a half decades, ADM has given us the opportunity to provide life-changing scholarships to over 519 students. Additionally, we have received significant support to grow our Agriculture Program at Richland. But the greatest partnership came this year when ADM approached the Foundation about developing a Process Operator Certificate at Richland. They even gave $150,000 to ensure that Richland had the technology needed to train students for jobs available in our community.
Mission Impact Award – John Ullrich Foundation
Since the establishment of the John Ullrich Foundation Scholarship in 2009, Richland has awarded over $2 million in scholarships, changing the lives of more than 1,500 students. Their impact on Richland does not stop there. Each year, the Foundation presents exciting initiatives at Richland so their Trustees can expand their support.
Mission Impact Award – Greg Florian
After 24 years of service, Greg Florian retired as Richland Community College’s Vice President of Finance. He supported the Foundation for 23 of those years. While presenting this award, Julie Melton (Executive Director of the Foundation) said simply listing Florian’s accomplishments at Richland was not all he should be known for. “I think what is most fitting is that he was a great colleague, mentor and most importantly friend. And he loved asking the foundation for money,” she said.
Mission Impact Award Renamed to “Novak Mission Impact Award”
As part of the kickoff of the 50th anniversary of Richland Community College, the Foundation wanted to honor two people who have made an incredible impact over Richland’s history. Those people are Dr. Charles and Mary Jo Novak.
Dr. Novak was President at Richland Community College from 1989-2001. He also returned briefly in 2016 to help hire Richland’s current president, Dr. Cris Valdez. The Foundation had considered giving the Mission Impact Award to the Novak’s, but they decided the anniversary was the perfect opportunity to rename it to the Novak Mission Impact Award. This award will carry on the Novak’s legacy and symbolize the impact they had on the mission of Richland Community College.
Alumnus Award – Dominique Bates-Smith
Dominique Bates-Smith is on the frontlines in Decatur, showing true leadership and working to evoke change in her community. She is one of the co-founders of Walk It Like We Talk It, an organization that organizes, educates and empowers young adults to be socially conscious and locally active.
Bates-Smith tells the Foundation, “Today, I can proudly say that I no longer standing in the background. I am upfront, demanding equality, equity and respect for all. I saw that my community needed to change, and I chose not to sit back and let change happen, but instead to be part of a group that makes change.
