Foundation Gala uplifts students with donations and ‘magic’

Lily Cole

Editor

Friday the 13th was anything but unlucky as this year’s annual Foundation Gala was the WCC Foundation’s biggest turnout yet. 

“This is for people to give back,” Shana Barker, senior director of advancement, said. She emphasized the importance of student success and the Foundation’s role. 

Only 2% of WCC students qualified for Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Michigan Guarantee scholarship. 98% didn’t because they weren’t full-time, Bhushan Kulkarni, Foundation board chair, said. 

The Foundation aims to make it financially accessible for full or part-time students to obtain an education by awarding scholarships of up to $1,000 to more than 1,000 students. The scholarship amount is based on a student’s number of credit hours and is determined by financial need.

Laura Berarducci, a sponsor and Ann Arbor SPARK’s senior director of communications and development, said she’s grateful, “It all comes back to entrepreneurship and its advances in prosperity. Its [the Foundation’s] pursuit of growth and forwarding momentum [for students].”

“Magic happened when I received my first scholarship,” Bhushan Kulkarni, Foundation board chair, said. He spotlights all donors and sponsors who attended the night’s event and their support for students.

Debbie Dingell, a U.S. representative of Michigan, enthused, “The Foundation is critical. They help so many people, and these are must events. They’re just wonderful.”

“These people are our unsung heroes,” Dr. Rose Ballanca, WCC President, said. “They believe in students and give their time and money. I think so many students would like to say thank you.”

For more information about the WCC Foundation and scholarships, visit wccnet.edu/foundation. 

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