Giving Tuesday: Turning Generosity into Opportunity

Jamie Wiener, Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation

There is something truly special about walking through our campus and hearing students discuss assignments, watching them collaborate on projects, and witnessing the wide range of skills and trades they are mastering.

After high school, she earned her CNA certification but had to put her career on hold to raise her family. As her children grew older, she realized she wanted to return to school, but time and finances were barriers. Blue Ridge Community College made it possible. Alicia participated in our nationally accredited Associate Degree Nursing Program and graduated this past spring. Today she works at Blue Ridge Community Health Services as a school based nurse.

Alicia’s father is illiterate, yet he always told her that her most important gift was her mind. She wanted to honor him by furthering her education. Today, with her Associate Degree in Nursing, Alicia has not only achieved her personal goal but is creating a generational transformation: her children see firsthand the value of perseverance, dedication, and lifelong learning. They can see the dreams of their grandfather carried out through their mother, inspiring her family to believe that higher education and meaningful careers are within reach.

Your gifts make transformations like Alicia’s possible. Last year, the Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation awarded 544 scholarships. Following Hurricane Helene, 503 students received disaster assistance—from replacing mold-damaged belongings to removing fallen trees—so challenges like these wouldn’t prevent them from returning to school.

Every dollar you give to the Foundation turns generosity into lasting family impact. Your support fuels scholarships, expands programs, and strengthens the workforce of Henderson and Transylvania counties.

Your support transforms lives.