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Tri-C Foundation Presidential Scholarship Luncheon Raises $1 Million

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson headlines event to benefit students

Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson discussed success, strategy and persistence while helping the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) Foundation raise funds for students during its Presidential Scholarship Luncheon. Atkinson, the reigning NBA Coach of the Year, appeared before 800 people at the annual luncheon during his keynote address.

The Foundation's 2025 Presidential Scholarship Luncheon raised $1 million. Since its inception in 1992, the Presidential Scholarship Luncheon has raised more than $26 million to provide critical funds that help Tri-C students in need with the financial support to achieve their academic goals. The annual luncheon, presented by PNC Bank, took place on Sept. 24 at the Hotel Cleveland on Public Square. Tri-C President Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., facilitated the dialogue with Atkinson.

"The Presidential Scholarship Luncheon is a powerful platform to celebrate our students and make a lasting impact on their lives while hearing from people who empower them to persist," Baston said. "Coach Atkinson shared a wealth of experience about his success and his resilience. The audience gravitated to the lessons on how he has personally and professionally overcome obstacles."

Funds raised through the Presidential Scholarship Luncheon will support scholarships and help launch the Resilient Scholar Fund, an initiative designed to remove the non-tuition barriers that so often derail students' dreams. The Resilient Scholar Fund will provide targeted financial support to help students overcome these challenges before they become emergencies.

$1 Million Gift From Medical Mutual Launches Resilient Scholar Fund

Fund will help students facing financial hardships overcome challenges and remain on track

To remove the unexpected, non-tuition barriers that often derail students' dreams, the Tri-C Foundation announced a $1 million donation from the Medical Mutual Charitable Gift Fund to help launch the Resilient Scholar Fund.

Announced during the Presidential Scholarship Luncheon on Sept. 24, the fund will provide targeted financial support to help students overcome these challenges before they become emergencies and stay on track to graduate.

The Resilient Scholar Fund will prioritize students enrolled in programs that prepare them for high-demand industries, such as health careers, nursing, information technology, manufacturing and public safety. In this way, the fund will not only reduce barriers to degree completion but also support the regional economy through workforce development in critical fields.

"This fund focuses on supporting students beyond the classroom," said Tony Helton, president and CEO of Medical Mutual. "As the hometown health insurer, we've seen firsthand how Tri-C empowers individuals to lead and contribute meaningfully to our region's workforce. Every dollar invested with Tri-C is a step toward a stronger, more resilient community. We're proud to deepen our longstanding partnership through this contribution to the Resilient Scholar Fund."

New Award Honors the Legacy of Robert and Joanne Lewis

Robert and Joanne Lewis Award for Creativity, Innovation and Engagement

The Tri-C Foundation is proud to introduce the Robert and Joanne Lewis Award for Creativity, Innovation and Engagement. This prestigious, self-nominated honor recognizes full-time faculty, staff or administrators at Tri-C who exemplify exceptional leadership, scholarship and a deep commitment to positively impacting the College and its students. The award and prize honor the first trustee, Robert L. Lewis, and his wife, Joanne Lewis, both lifelong advocates for civic transformation and community impact.

Robert L. Lewis led an effort to raise funds from the philanthropic and business community that laid the foundation for Tri-C's founding. During his 17-year tenure as a College trustee, Lewis served as Board chair, created a unique Scholar-in-Residence program and helped to establish the Faculty Symposium and Honors program. He was the keynote speaker for the first Presidential Scholarship Luncheon in 1992.

Joanne Lewis founded the Global Issues Resource Center, a nonprofit based at Tri-C. Today, as the Global Issues Resource Collaborative, her vision continues through its resources and learning opportunities that encourage a global approach to addressing local, national and international issues. Joanne also founded the Robert L. Lewis Academy of Scholars at Tri-C to offer high-achieving students the opportunity to learn at the honors level.

The criteria for the Robert and Joanne Lewis Award for Creativity, Innovation and Engagement reflect their values and passions:

• Creativity and Innovation that create meaningful change or improvement
• Engagement and Civic Transformation to advance student success
• Leadership and Scholarship to foster a culture of learning and academic excellence, inspiring others
• Community Engagement to bring people together and promote collaboration to foster community connections

Tri-C is grateful for the leadership and support of these two remarkable people and is honored to preserve their legacy through this award.

Tri-C Foundation Earns 4-Star Accountability Rating

The Tri-C Foundation has earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for high marks in financial practices, impact and measurement, and leadership. Charity Navigator is a trusted assessment nonprofit organization that has evaluated 230,000 U.S. organizations. Its ratings are based on financial stability, accountability, transparency and results reporting. It is the largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities in the U.S.

Tri-C Day 2025 Highlights "Building Bright Futures"

Thank you for giving and celebrating on April 10

Thank you all for your incredible support during our ninth annual Tri-C Day! Your generosity has truly made a difference in shaping brighter futures for our students. We surpassed our goal of 1,200 donors in just 24 hours and raised more than $233,000 from 1,261 donors. This extraordinary accomplishment reflects the strength and unity of our community and highlights your commitment to our students' success.

Some of our favorite highlights included on-campus events, such as the athletics challenges, Tri-C swag fashion shows and giving trees, collecting testimonials from students, faculty and staff. The Tri-C Foundation's board of directors kicked off their participation with a lunch with students at Alere. Alumni celebrated and issued a challenge during their Merwin's Wharf gathering. The auction added new experiences and helped boost contributions.

You can still make a Tri-C Day gift anytime! Your support, no matter the amount, is crucial to our students' futures and our community. Thank you for building bright futures for our students.

New Pantry on Eastern Campus Opens

Thank you to contributors Alan and Barbara Rosskamm and the Meisel & Pesses Family Foundation

The Eastern Campus Food Pantry was dedicated on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, completing the Tri-C Foundation's goal to modernize and expand the pantries on all campuses. Generous gifts from Alan and Barbara Rosskamm and the Meisel & Pesses Family Foundation were honored during the ribbon cutting.

The Rosskamms' commitment helped fund capital costs to design and equip the accessible new Eastern Campus Pantry space in the student lounge area. A commitment from the Meisel & Pesses Family Foundation will provide immediate-use dollars to stock the Eastern Campus Pantry. The commitment also establishes an endowed fund that generates income to stock and operate this Pantry location in the future. 

For years, food insecurity has been an unfortunate fact of life for many Tri-C students. During the 2023-2024 academic year, 2,655 students made 12,559 campus pantry visits — a 47% increase in visits from the previous year.

"We greatly appreciate how both of these investments address how multiple factors potentially affect a student's ability to pursue and complete their education," said Tri-C President Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D. "These gifts do more than feed hungry students — they provide a solution to ensure those students stay on a path toward a stable career and a better life for themselves and their families."

Continuing Scholars' Model Earns Historic Combined Gift of $6.8 million for Tri-C/CSU

Grant will continue funding through 2031

The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation has bestowed a landmark grant of approximately $3.3 million to Tri-C and $3.5 million to Cleveland State University to further advance the renowned Mandel Continuing Scholars Program. The funding, totaling $6.8 million, guarantees continued program operations and facilitates long-term planning, bringing exciting prospects for students exploring their transfer options to pursue a bachelor's degree and ensuring a seamless and successful transition.

The Mandel Continuing Scholars Program, initiated in 2017, is a rigorous pathway for Tri-C's Mandel Scholars Academy graduates, propelling them to Cleveland State University's prestigious Mandel Honors College. The program has already successfully matriculated 110 Tri-C Mandel Scholar alumni to CSU, while 254 students have completed the Mandel Continuing Scholars Program at Tri-C. With renewed support from the Mandel Foundation for eight years, extending into 2031, more students will benefit from this exceptional pipeline program.

Your Impact

Tri-C is a driving force for the economic prosperity and future of our region. Your support for student success through the Tri-C Foundation is an investment toward a thriving Northeast Ohio now and for years to come.

Did you know.... 49% of Tri-C's student population is eligible for the Pell Grant, indicating high economic need? Even though Tri-C is the most affordable institution in Ohio, without scholarship support, many students would not be able to afford the cost of tuition. 

Students earning degrees and credentials from Tri-C can move themselves and their families from poverty to prosperity.

Office of Resource Development and the Tri-C Foundation

The Tri-C Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) organization established in 1973. The mission of the Foundation is to provide resources for advancing student success at Tri-C and transform the lives of those the College serves. The vision is to ensure Tri-C has the resources needed to help every student learn, thrive, succeed and create a prosperous community for all.