South celebrates FRIENDS
On April 29, South Seattle College celebrated its annual "Friends of the College" dinner. This year's event recognized the 2014 Outstanding Alum of the Year, Ciscoe Morris, and brought together current scholarship recipients and donors, while acknowledging award-winning faculty.
Morris, who brings his passion for and expertise in gardening to audiences across the Northwest on TV, radio, and through newspaper columns and books, accepted the 2014 Outstanding Alum of the Year Award to kick off the evening.
"South is the perfect balance of a practical and scientific education," Morris, a 1977 graduate of South's Landscape and Horticulture program, said. "I really learned the how and the why and got a lot of support from my teachers."
Much of the night was dedicated to recognizing the hard work of scholarship recipients gaining an education at South, and the donors who graciously made their scholarships possible. It was a unique opportunity for philanthropist and student to share a meal and discuss the difference scholarships make in those scholars' lives.
Through the support of the community, South's Foundation has raised $720,000 to support 348 student scholarships. These scholarships benefit students like Peteri Faletogo.
"Coming from a working class family, I actually spent my first year funding myself and my family, and it was always stressful," South student and scholarship recipient, Faletogo said. "(Getting the scholarships) takes a lot of stress off knowing that I have enough money to help my parents and at the same time have my education funded."
The evening was rounded out with recognition of ten members of South's faculty who received faculty development grants for the innovative education they bring to South's classrooms.
View a full picture gallery of the event.