Category Educational Foundation

Symons Estate Gift

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The Seminole State College Educational Foundation recently received a $64,200 donation from Stanley and Inez Symons of Seminole upon the closing of their estate. The Foundation received an initial gift of $343,000 in December of 2017 from the couple who named the College as a beneficiary, along with several other local charities. The funds have been designated to support SSC academics and student scholarships SSC President Lana Reynolds (right) accepts the additional check from Estate Trustee Bill Thompson (left). President Reynolds said, “It is extremely touching to me that this couple believed enough in our mission and the impact we have through educating students to give this unsolicited donation.  The Symons’ developed a love and appreciation for SSC and were interested in helping students to achieve their academic dreams.  What a legacy to leave!”

SSC Foundation Receives $10,000 Arvest Grant

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The Seminole State College Educational Foundation recently received a $10,000 grant from the Arvest Foundation. The donation will help provide leadership opportunities for students at the College – specifically members of the President’s Leadership Class.

The PLC program was established at Seminole State College over a decade ago.  The two-year scholarship program provides approximately 40 to 45 students with unique educational, cultural, volunteer and leadership opportunities.  Throughout the year, they are able to meet with state leaders, learn about local government and philanthropy, study leadership styles and participate in community volunteer work.

Each year, the Arvest Foundation asks for suggestions of outstanding nonprofit charity organizations doing great work to improve their local communities for consideration of grant funding. This year, Arvest Bank President Chris Clark provided a recommendation for the SSC Educational Foundation.

Clark has served as President of Arvest Bank in Shawnee for the past 20 years.  A native of Seminole.  His family has a long association with Seminole and Seminole State College.  His father, C.M. Clark was a Seminole banker, member of the Seminole School Board and on the first Board of Regents for Seminole “Junior” College.  Chris Clark graduated from SJC in 1975 and was inducted into the College’s Alumni Hall of Fame in 1998.  He served many years as a Trustee on the Seminole State College Educational Foundation.

SSC President Lana Reynolds expressed her appreciation to the Arvest Foundation and to Clark for recommending SSC for the grant. “The funds from this grant will help provide students in the PLC program additional opportunities to develop their leadership skills and further enhance their personal and professional growth. We are always excited to expand this exceptional program at SSC, and we are extremely thankful to Mr. Clark and Arvest for helping us to continue to do that.”

Arvest Bank owns and operates 14 community banks in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas offering banking, mortgages, credit cards and investments.  The bank began in Bentonville, Arkansas in 1961.  They now have more than 270 locations in more than 135 communities. 

For more information about the PLC program at Seminole State College, contact Director of Community Services Kristin Dunn, who serves as coordinator of the program, at 405-382-9218 or k.dunn@sscok.edu.

SSC Educational Foundation Approves Plan to Build Sports Complex

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The Seminole State College Educational Foundation approved a plan to begin construction on the Brian Crawford Memorial Sports Complex at their meeting on June 12.

The complex will be constructed on a plot approximately half of a mile west of the SSC campus on Highway 9, adjacent to the new Seminole High School site. Continue reading “SSC Educational Foundation Approves Plan to Build Sports Complex” →

Utterback Inducted into Hall of Fame

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Seminole State College President Emeritus Dr. Jim Utterback was honored Saturday with induction into the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. Utterback, who served as President of SSC from 1997 to 2017, received a bachelor’s degree from SWOSU in 1978 and a master’s in 1979. Utterback (far right) was recognized with five other former Southwestern students. Pictured left to right are: Thomas E. Weichel of Colony; Dr. Carl Hook of Norman; Dr. Gina Scott Ligon of Papillion, Nebraska; and Kelli Litsch of Weatherford. The late Jim Litsch of Thomas was posthumously inducted.