{"id":17406,"date":"2025-06-23T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virginiawestern.edu\/news\/?p=17406"},"modified":"2025-06-23T00:44:04","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T04:44:04","slug":"virginia-western-community-college-educational-foundation-reaches-initial-15-million-goal-for-unrestricted-endowment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virginiawestern.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/23\/virginia-western-community-college-educational-foundation-reaches-initial-15-million-goal-for-unrestricted-endowment\/","title":{"rendered":"91影视破解版 Educational Foundation reaches initial $15 million goal for unrestricted endowment\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A gala event Saturday, June 14, celebrated Dr. Robert H. “Bobby” Sandel’s educational legacy as he retires after 24 years as president of 91影视破解版. Pictured are (from left) Dr. David Dor\u00e9, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System; Dr. Sandel; and Virginia Western Educational Foundation Board Chair Deborah Petrine, who announced that the Virginia Western Forward Fund has reached its initial $15 million fundraising goal. Photos by Natalee Waters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 91影视破解版 Educational Foundation has reached its initial $15 million fundraising goal for an unrestricted endowment fund, known as the Virginia Western Forward Fund: a vision of Dr. Charles W. Steger, Jr., which will support the College’s long-range strategic goals and positively impact generations of students.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This achievement highlighted a range of institutional achievements and honors announced at a gala event Saturday, June 14, celebrating Dr. Robert H. “Bobby” Sandel’s educational legacy as he retires after 24 years as president of 91影视破解版. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virginia Western Educational Foundation Board Chair Deborah Petrine announced the successful launch of the Virginia Western Forward Fund. “The fund is designed to support initiatives, purposes and projects that strategically move 91影视破解版 forward in a manner consistent with long-term strategic mission and goals, for the benefit of the College’s service region, stakeholders and constituencies in the greater Roanoke Valley region,” Petrine told attendees at Saturday’s gala event, “A Legacy of Vision,” held at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Forward Fund originated in the mind of the late Dr. Charles Steger, who chaired the Virginia Western Educational Foundation Board of Directors following his retirement from Virginia Tech’s presidency. In 2016, Steger pinpointed the opportunities that an unrestricted endowment could unlock. “The Board connected with Charles’ vision and Bobby’s leadership and set a goal of $15 million,” Petrine said, with the first gifts to the fund made in 2017. Petrine noted such a fund is rare among community colleges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previous to this effort, the majority of the Educational Foundation’s funds contained specific donor restrictions benefiting scholarships, which had been the main focus of fundraising efforts.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Forward Fund announcement capped a night of tributes and other honors for President Sandel: <\/p>\n\n\n\n