Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy

Holly Appleton
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 11:15 AM
Community

Cleveland State Community College, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens, and the Tennessee Board of Regents presented the City of Athens, McMinn County, and the McMinn County Economic Development Agency with the 2022 Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy at a reception at the McMinn Higher Education Center on Nov. 1. The Regents Award serves to recognize persons and organizations that have clearly demonstrated generosity of time and resources to TBR institutions, encourages others, promotes higher education and provides an example of ethical leadership, civic responsibility and integrity.

Cleveland State submitted the joint nomination for the special collaboration between these three agencies in working with the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee Board of Regents, and the University of Tennessee in support of the creation of the McMinn Higher Education Center (MHEC) completed in 2021. The center is now fully operational serving as an educational and workforce development engine in our region.

The contributions of the three agencies went beyond cooperation and support. Each of these agencies provided significant resources towards the establishment of the MHEC facility. These contributions comprised approximately ten percent of the $17.5 million total cost of the facility.

• McMinn Economic Development Agency: $244,000 land donation (estimated value)
• Athens City: $500,000 financial match contribution
• McMinn County: $1,000,000 financial match contribution

“The vision and generosity of McMinn County, City of Athens, and McMinn County Economic Development Agency will benefit this region for decades to come in the creation of the McMinn Higher Education Center (MHEC). These organizations are committed to improving lives through education,” stated CSCC President Dr. Ty Stone. “Thank you to the Tennessee Board of Regents for recognizing the collaborative partnership of these agencies. I invite the community to visit MHEC and discover the educational programs and resources that are available here in McMinn County.”

The McMinn Higher Education Center, which will allow Cleveland State and TCAT to offer classes and training services to the citizens and businesses of Southeast Tennessee, would not exist without the efforts and contributions of these three agencies. 

“There’s no better example of what the Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy is about than the McMinn County, City of Athens and McMinn County Economic Development Agency partnership that made the McMinn Higher Education Center possible. The Center is a statewide model for bringing multiple institutions together into one beautiful and highly functional space, to serve the region’s students, business and industry for generations to come. I’m proud to help bestow our highest recognition for support of higher education and our colleges on these three forward-thinking public entities,” stated Tennessee Board of Regents Vice Chair Emily J. Reynolds, the Board’s presiding officer.

Each year only four Regents Awards are given to those who demonstrate:

• generous donation of time and resources to the Tennessee Board of Regents and its institutions;
• active promotion and support of higher education;
• exceptional civic responsibility and integrity;
• ethical leadership in philanthropy; and
• influence on volunteers to become involved in fundraising. 
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Photo Cutline – Regents Large Group Picture: Dignitaries celebrated the recipients of the 2022 Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. Pictured left to right: Seth Sumner, Athens City Manager; Jordan Curtis, Athens City Council Member; Regent Tom White, Tennessee Board of Regents; Dr. Ty Stone, CSCC President; Bo Perkinson, Athens City Mayor; Lindsey Ferguson, Executive Director McMinn County Economic Development Agency; John Gentry, McMinn County Mayor; Stewart Smith, TCAT Athens President; Rep. Mark Cochran, Tennessee State Representative; Tim Woods, Executive Director UT Extension McMinn County.