Dear Faculty and Staff:

I hope you enjoyed a successful first week of the fall semester. Thanks to the good work of our grounds department, the campus looked beautiful. I also want to express appreciation to the volunteers who donned their SCC masks, SCC T-shirts, and welcoming spirits to assist students by answering questions and providing direction to their classrooms.

I am gratified by the innovative nature of our faculty and staff who have developed and are offering virtual experiences for our students and community to enjoy. Here are two opportunities I encourage you to take a look at and to share with students:

• Zoom Rooms are being put on by Student Life and feature SCC resources. The remaining schedule for this week includes, Tuesday: Disability/Access Services, Student Club Engagement; Wednesday: Advising, Career Services; and, Thursday: Mental Health, Student Club/Organization Mixer. Find times and dates on SCC’s Facebook page.
• Tuesday Tune-In! is a weekly variety show featuring performances by students, alumni, faculty, youth performers, and community members. A new “episode” premieres each Tuesday on the SCC Performing Arts Facebook page.

Last week on August 19, I attended the SCC Foundation’s first meeting of the academic year where I had the opportunity to provide a college update. In addition, Betsy Schneider, executive director of the foundation, shared an overview of end-of-year activities. For FY20, SCC’s Foundation awarded more than $117,000 in scholarships for tuition and books. They also provided almost $30,000 in support of mini-grants designed for faculty and staff who want to provide students an enhanced classroom experience beyond what the college is equipped to finance.

Information was also shared about some important upcoming events. On Monday, Sept. 28, SCC will host the Presidents Classic Golf Scramble at Old Hickory Golf Club in St. Peters, MO. Revenue from this event supports student scholarships. Here is a link to more information if you are interested in participating:

https://www.stchas.edu/community-resources/giving-to-scc/events-fundraisers/golf-tournament

And most importantly, next week we kick-off the annual Employee Sponsored Program (ESP). The ESP program allows SCC's employees to donate annually to support scholarships, campus enhancements, and the Celebration of Life program. If you have not yet become a member, please consider doing so this year. Our students need your support now more than ever.

My sincere appreciation is extended to Betsy and her team, Peggy Schnardthorst, advancement officer, and Jessica McLaughlin, foundation specialist, for their extraordinary service to the college. Best wishes for a wonderful week! Barbara