2016

The Impact Report

Philanthropy | Makes | a Difference

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Real Life. Real Support.Reynolds new Simulation Lab (featured in the pages ahead) was made possible through philanthropy, because people in RVA want competent nursing professionals caring for themselves and others. Support for the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation ensures our nursing graduates are the crème of the crop, and we thank those individuals for providing an investment from which we all benefit.

Every donor has two fascinating stories: their own and the one they make possible for someone else.

Sarah, our nursing student quoted to the right, probably won’t forget those nail-biting simulations where her every decision was monitored and recorded. Sarah’s future patients won’t forget her either, as they depend on her skill and compassion to get well. Also to be remembered are those individuals who cared enough to give when asked; the generous members of our community who made Sarah’s training ground possible.

This Impact Report is about the stories we write together as students, donors, and neighbors. What happens when we take the time to support each other?

Read on to find out…

Elizabeth S. Littlefield, CFREExecutive Director,J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation

Being able to make mistakes, watch myself on video, and go back to correct the mistake was a treat that you don’t get to have on the floor. I hope simulation continues to grow at Reynolds, for it will benefit us all greatly as future nurses!

Sarah S.,Reynolds nursing student

IMPACT:

$1,122,112 raised in 2015-16

• increasing graduates

• meeting workforce needs

• realizing dreams

(l to r) President Gary Rhodes with Governor Terry McAuliffe and College Board Chair Stephen E. Baril at Reynolds’ Forty-third Commencement.

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At this year’s Commencement, I was pleased to hear Governor Terry McAuliffe challenge the Class of 2016 to follow advice he says has yet to fail him: think big. Not only is that an empowering mantra, but it describes what our supporters make possible. We want students to enroll with audacious goals for their future. And, yes, money can be a speed bump, but donors to the Educational Foundation give generously so that dollar signs are not stop signs. By putting scholarships and investments to support curricula and student support services in place, our community puts credentials in reach.

Why is this support so critical to thinking big? Because Reynolds is poised to fill a particular niche for RVA. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, our most urgent regional workforce demand is for “middle-skill” jobs requiring an associate degree or 1-2 years of vocational training to obtain an industry credential. By 2025, the Richmond region will have more than 7,000 openings for these positions. Training for these jobs is Reynolds’ specialty, and our donors generously widen the avenues of access to it.

Bipartisan support for the community college mission is widespread, and I am pleased to have it for the sake of our students. Their reality, as is ours, is that plans and timelines are affected by budgets. Philanthropy from our community helps public investment go farther and yield results faster. Tax dollars are as precious as private donations, and Reynolds is utilizing both prudently and strategically. Thank you for helping us think big and “go big.” The demand for a competitive workforce will not wait and nor can we.

Gary L. Rhodes, Ed.D. President, Reynolds Community College

IMPACT:

Taxpayer dollars are stretched further through philanthropy, bolstered by grant funding, private donations, community partnerships, and careful fiscal management.

We want students to enroll with audacious goals for their future.

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Would the patient pull through? With his wife struggling to maintain her composure and the patient’s condition worsening, there was little time for uncertainty. Fortunately, there was room for error. The new Simulation Lab (SIM lab) on the Fourth Floor at the Downtown Campus uses high-fidelity technology and manikins (“dummies”) to give nursing students an opportunity to apply classroom skills in realistic clinical scenarios. “Clinical confidence is so important,” says David, a Reynolds nursing student. “I want to convey competence to all of my future patients. The new simulation lab helped to instill that in a lowered stress, comfortable environment totally conducive to learning and immediate feedback.”

As in a hospital setting, the condition of a simulated patient changes based upon student actions and treatment. Because of this, new high fidelity simulation that mimics the most realistic experience of a human allows students to understand the consequences of a plan of action or treatment in a safe setting.

Outfitting the SIM Lab was made possible through financial donations to the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation. Supporters of the project and nursing scholarship donors were invited to witness a simulation. Playing the roles of a team of healthcare professionals, students brought their patient back from the brink, as donors breathed a sigh of relief and gave them a rousing round of applause at the end of the exercise.

IMPACT:

The employability of graduates depends on their level of preparation for the work site.

Calm under Pressure: Simulation Lab tests skills, nervesLeft: Donors look on in suspense as nursing students perform life-saving measures during the simulation.

Bottom Left: A student watches her peers from the observation room. A debrief follows each simulation.

Bottom Right: Dr. Christi Blottner, Professor of Nursing at Reynolds, believes healthcare delivery is a “team sport.” Simulation helps students apply skills and collaborate as a group in a safe learning environment.

Philanthropy makes equipment and infrastructure upgrades possible to align our instruction with skills employers expect to see.

Jenni Rose Johnson ’12 (center) with Reynolds nursing hires (l to r) Julie Loving, Sara Mays, Reva Rodas, and Tamai Fennell.

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Great RespectJenni Rose Johnson graduated from Reynolds in 2012, but she never really left. Now director of the Progressive Care Unit at Johnston-Willis Hospital, nursing students can chat with Jenni at yearly pinning ceremonies, connect with her on Facebook, and sit down with Jenni for a life-changing meal. With the support of the hospital, “We’ve been hosting recruitment dinners for Reynolds students,” Jenni explains. For a current nursing student, it’s a chance to be hired as a Nurse Technician and prepare for the big step of providing care as an R.N. “Nurse techs do a lot of cleaning, bathing, answering call bells. I had a nurse tech come to me and say that a patient just didn’t look right. Turns out, the patient was becoming septic, and it was the nurse tech who noticed it first. When you become a nurse, you have great respect for your tech. I’ll always remember what those student nursing days were like.”

This includes, as Jenni puts it, “being absolutely flat broke” by the time graduation rolls around. Jenni spearheaded the NCLEX Challenge, urging fellow Reynolds nursing alumni to donate funds to help new grads cover the fee for sitting for the NCLEX test while the material and clinical experiences are still fresh. The thousands of dollars Jenni has helped raise – even donating her own prize money from a prestigious HCA nursing award – has provided NCLEX scholarships to more than 30 students.

A member of Reynolds’ Nursing Advisory Board, Jenni’s advocacy and approachability are assets to RVA’s broader nursing community, says Elaine Beaupre, head of the Reynolds Nursing Program. “She shares the positives and the concerns of students, graduates, and nurses, which helps the AAS Nursing program stay current. Her constant enthusiasm is infectious. Really, she’s a dream alum for any college.”

Jenni certainly is that for the many Reynolds graduates she’s hired. “Skill is one piece of it, and you can teach skills, but I truly look for heart.”

IMPACT:

In survey responses, alumni characterize the level of support they received from faculty as high. The number of instructors who are still active in their occupational field provides current students with a unique workforce viewpoint.

When you become a nurse, you have great respect for your tech. I’ll always remember what those student nursing days were like.

Sofia, photographed at the Virginia Aviation Museum, is a Reynolds Engineering student.

Alex Nwogu (center) learns about real-world infrastructure engineering from Derek Larimer (l) and Mike Hurd (r) of Moseley Architects.

Alex Nwogu is thriving in the first Reynolds Honors cohort.

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IMPACT:

A generous grant from Dominion Foundation is helping Reynolds engineering students make a smoother transition to their college and engineering specialty of choice.

A Real HonorEvery college student logs time in the library, but for Alex Nwogu, it’s a treat. “The library is the thing I like best at Reynolds. There are CAD computers and mobile checkouts. I don’t know if people realize everything we have. When I came here, I could hardly believe it.”

The son of a Nigerian military officer, Alex finished high school in the Washington D.C. area. With his older sister deciding on VCU to study economics, Alex followed her trajectory to RVA. “At first, I really had my heart set on VCU, but when I looked at the expense of having the two of us enrolled at the same time, it was quite a price tag.”

Along with the sizable cost break, Alex was drawn to Reynolds for other reasons. He was seeking academic rigor that would prepare him for his future as an engineer, and an environment supportive of International students. When he learned about Reynolds’ new

Honors Program, he knew he had made the right decision. “My grades were good and my advisor told me about it. When I found out about the scholarship, I just knew I had to apply. I really wanted to do it.”

Alex is thriving in Reynolds’ first Honors cohort. In it, students participate in more advanced, complex academic work based on four foundational pillars: critical thinking, independent research, interdisciplinary learning, and engagement. Through donor support, each of the 29 students in the 2015-16 academic year received a scholarship, allowing them to fully immerse themselves into the challenging coursework and opportunities for volunteerism.

For his next move Alex says, “I’m thinking of Virginia Tech, because it offers a wide range of specialties. This is a productive time for me at Reynolds, because I can explore and decide on my concentration. Initially, I thought of doing just one year and transferring. But, now with

Honors, I’m going to stay for two years and finish my associate degree. I would say Reynolds has helped me put things into perspective while broadening my perspective, too.”

This is a productive time for me at Reynolds, because I can explore and decide on my concentration.

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Jeff Hayes, Class of ’93, says he can’t believe how the Parham Road Campus has grown.

Attending a briefing with President Barack Obama.

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Counter-Insurgency Expert is Reynolds Graduate“When you’re at the White House, a lot of the people you work with hold doctorates and went to Yale and Harvard. But, I went from dropping out of high school to where I am now.” And where is Jeff W. Hayes, Class of 1993? Serving in the position of counter-insurgency expert with the Defense Department. His alumni success story is about as jaw dropping as the role he had as an advisor to President Obama on the National Security Council (NSC).

“Reynolds saved my life. I had some family issues and ended up dropping out of high school. I earned my GED and knew I wanted to do more. I came to Reynolds and had Professor Morris Brady who was a retired U.S. Army General. He was teaching International Relations, and he demonstrated what I had a passion for.”

At Reynolds, Jeff immersed himself in activities such as

the Model Organization of American States. “I remember, I got to meet Tipper Gore while visiting the OAS headquarters in Washington DC in December 1992 during a Reynolds sponsored trip. At the time, I thought that was amazing.” He wrote for Reynolds’ student newspaper and was a passionate student of international affairs. He knew from conversations with Professor Brady that national security would be his niche.

After transferring and graduating from George Mason University with distinction and special recognition, Jeff enlisted in the U.S. Army; his first assignment was with the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) located at Fort Lewis, Washington State. “After leaving the Army, I worked at the Pentagon. I was doing national security work and then was selected to work at the White House as an outside advisor for the Bush Administration. Upon President Obama’s election, I was selected to officially join Obama’s NSC staff as Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

An alum who was once a national security advisor to two presidents (and can list talks with the Taliban on his resume) was nice enough to volunteer his time to come back to campus and score scholarship applications. “The bookstore has its own building now? I can’t believe how much the college has grown since I was here,” Jeff says. “I would love to grab these students and say there’s nowhere you can’t go from where you’re sitting. When I was at Reynolds, I never imagined where my career would take me. Having students know the possibility exists thrills me.”

IMPACT:

Reynolds alumni give back through donations of time and financial resources. The majority of graduates still reside in the Richmond area.

There’s nowhere you can’t go from where you’re sitting.

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Meet Steve Esbachn Benefactor,

Esbach Family Scholarship

n Member, Rotary Club of Western Henrico

n Honoree, 11th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy

WHY WE GIVE TO REYNOLDS Community colleges fill a huge gap that would be left open without them. The value and affordability of our community college system is second to none, and they offer an unmatched flexibility for working moms and dads or anyone looking to improve themselves for a specific job. The community college system puts students squarely on track to reach their goals.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR OTHERS TO GIVE What could be more important? The youth of today are the future of our country and our communities. There are so many individuals striving to get ahead who need our help. I believe every dollar we

contribute pays back dividends ten-fold.

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR STUDENTS There is no better time to learn than at the beginning of your adult life because you will have the rest of your life to benefit from it. Walking into a job interview with a degree or certificate in hands exponentially increases your chances of landing the job you want and at a salary that will impact everything you wish to achieve.

IMPACT:

A very special donation from the Cornelia Hodges Fund to provide stipend assistance will help ease the burden of missed income.

IMPACT:

Reynolds celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2022. Pathways to Prosperity is the college’s strategic plan to be the preeminent pathway to the workforce and degree attainment for RVA.

Western Henrico Rotary’s support for the Annual Becky Briggs Golf Tournament provides critical scholarship dollars for Reynolds students.

As the region faces a shortage of qualified workers, support from the community ensures our students and programs can keep pace with evolving industry needs.

Amanda Wray earned her Nursing associate degree in May and has begun her career with a local hospital.

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What Reynolds Means to MeI knew I wanted to be a nurse, but I’ve only recently understood why. That realization has been a game changer for me.

Even after I completed all of my pre-nursing courses, I did not apply for the RN program at the time. I had met the love of my life, Dustin, and chose to get married and focus on our life together. All was bliss until we were five months pregnant with our first son. My husband was told one word that rocked our lives forever: cancer. Dustin carried through with radiation, a surgery which left him without his right eye, and nights of sickness and fear.

We were blessed with another word only months after our son was born: remission. On the wings of that amazing word, we had our second son one year later. Alas, that joy and amazement was crushed again. Although this time, there were additional, scarier, uglier and

overwhelming words: metastasis and terminal. I looked at Dustin, and we knew we would be in for the ride of our lives.

For two and a half years, we were in and out of doctor offices and hospitals. The thing that stands out, the amazing and beautiful silver lining, was that I witnessed some of the truest compassion from the nurses we had. I remember times when I would break down at my husband’s bedside, and an RN or care partner would take my sons to the hallway to keep them entertained. Another nurse brought them coloring books. I saw nurses take serious grief from my husband when he was in pain. I saw nurses quietly tear up when leaving our room. I received some of the most authentically caring hugs from RNs.

We lost Dustin in 2012. I miss him and thank him every day. Strangely enough, if it hadn’t been for the adversary of his cancer, I still wouldn’t know why I want to be a nurse.

Now, I know exactly. I want to offer every ounce of support I have and solace in a simple hug.

My scholarships mean more than I can say. I also look at them as a gift to my children and other recipients’ families who have a chance at an improved future full of hope. Our donors allow us to give back. It is a wonderful, beautiful cycle!

IMPACT:

A total of $446,984 in scholarship awards, ranging from $200 to $5,000 were provided to 265 Reynolds students, thanks to donations from the RVA community.

I received some of the most authentically caring hugs from RNs.

Elizabeth “Ayer” Chamberlin with other plant enthusiasts at the Annual Garden Fest on the

Goochland Campus.

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IMPACT:

Members of Reynolds’ Legacy Society continue their influence and good work through making a planned gift to the Educational Foundation.

Putting Down RootsSally Chamberlin says her sister’s passion for gardening was in her genes. “All four of us children have a green thumb. Both of our grandmothers loved it. My mother was a serious pruner.” Before avidly pursuing her birthright, Sally’s sister, Elizabeth “Ayer” Chamberlin, was a child life specialist with a master’s in recreational therapy, spending most of her career at St. Mary’s Hospital. After retirement, Ayer signed up for classes in Reynolds’ Horticulture Technology program. “Gardening is what she always wanted to do with her life,” her sister recalls.

At Reynolds, Ayer was part student, part helper. “She enjoyed the coursework and volunteered in the greenhouse crop production that generates plants for sale,” said David Seward, Program Head for Horticulture Technology. “Ayer was a very caring person. Her healthcare background came out in that, too.”

The artful landscaping and gardens bursting forth with flowers and organic vegetables are an immediate delight to the senses on any trip to the Goochland Campus. But, it is the infrastructure- irrigation, greenhouses, equipment- that Ayer wanted to ensure remained up to the task of vigorous instruction and use by faculty and students.

“I’m very grateful because we’re a small program and everyone struggles with budget constraints,” Seward says. “When Ayer was passionate about something, she gave it her all, including money. Her gift will allow us to either renovate one of the greenhouses or supplement needs of the programs, tools and such, we wouldn’t be able to purchase otherwise.”

Ayer put down roots. She made provisions to include the Reynolds Horticulture Program in her estate, before passing away in 2015, breaking the hearts of master gardeners and eager novices alike.

One of those new gardeners was an 11-year-old who would visit Root 5 Family Farms, where Ayer also volunteered. Jim Cooper with Root 5 recalls, “Ayer started coming out on weekends to ‘work awhile’ and she’d leave seven hours later. She started mentoring this child, teaching him horticulture terms and quizzing him. It was just part of Ayer’s nature to help things grow.”

She started mentoring this child, teaching him horticulture terms and quizzing him. It was part of Ayer’s nature to help things grow.

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Bess is masterful at positioning the college’s strengths to increase access to higher education for all individuals in our community, regardless of circumstance.

IMPACT:

During Reynolds’ first-ever Major Gifts Campaign, Bess Littlefield’s leadership resulted in raising nearly $16 million, one of the largest Campaign totals in the history of the Virginia Community College System.

Bess Littlefield, CFREis Advancing our Missionn Winner of VAFRE’s

2016 Nina Abady Award

n Executive Director of the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation

n Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Reynolds Community College

Citing her breadth of work in philanthropy and fundraising to benefit Reynolds Community College, Elizabeth S. “Bess” Littlefield is the 2016 recipient of the Nina Abady Award presented by the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives (VAFRE).

“Her strategic vision for advancing our mission goes beyond fundraising,” says Reynolds President Gary L. Rhodes. “Bess is masterful at positioning the college’s strengths to increase access to higher education for all

individuals in our community, regardless of circumstance.”

Nina Abady was a Richmond icon known for her passion for supporting the arts. Downtown Presents, Friday Cheers, The Big Gig, and the Second Street Festival were among the flagship civic events Ms. Abady founded before her death in 1993. The VAFRE award bearing her name is presented to a Virginia fundraising professional who has demonstrated excellence in the field of development.

“Development professionals are typically behind the scenes because we want our donors to be the ones who shine,” Littlefield said. “Having the spotlight on me is a little unfamiliar, but I am deeply honored to have my peers choose me for this award. Nina Abady was more than a fundraiser and founding member of VAFRE; she was a force. It’s special that, as a community, we can remember her inclusiveness and vision, and continue building upon it.”

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Financials

ASSETS

Cash & Cash Equivalents $ 112,753

Investments $ 10,160,737

Unconditional Promises to Give $ 649,738

Other Receivables and Prepaid Expenses $ 14,542

Charitable Gift Instruments $ 596,770

Net Investment in Property $ 37,696

TOTAL ASSETS $ 11,572,236

LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS

Total Liabilities $ 56,846

Net Assets:

Unrestricted $ 896,598

Temporarily Restricted $ 2,757,991

Permanently Restricted $ 7,860,801

TOTAL NET ASSETS $ 11,515,390

TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS $ 11,572,236

TOTAL $ 1,122,112

 Community Groups $ 52,299

 Individuals* $ 263,635

 Corporations $ 343,232

 Foundations $ 462,946

*Includes realized bequests

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.

Statement of Financial PositionJune 30, 2016

TOTAL $ 1,122,112

 Unrestricted $ 144,820 Scholarships $ 446,984 Programs $ 530,308

2015-2016Raised by

Donor Type

2015-2016Distribution

of Gifts

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J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.

2016-17 Board of Directors

President Mitchell F. Haddon

Vice President Patrick W. Farrell

Secretary Theresa K. Noë

Treasurer William E. Hardy

Assistant Treasurer Amelia M. Bradshaw

Past President E. Massie Valentine, Jr.

Stephen E. Baril Reynolds Community College Board Chair, Kaplan Voekler Cunningham & Frank PLC

Amelia M. Bradshaw Reynolds Community College

Dorothy Reynolds Brotherton Community Volunteer

Katherine E. Busser Community Volunteer

Lawrence Doyle Capital One

Patrick W. Farrell Community Volunteer

J. Douglas Freeman, Sr. Tucker Pavilion (Retired)

Julie H. Gustavsson Keiter CPA’s

Mitchell F. Haddon ColonialWebb Contractors

William E. Hardy Harris, Hardy & Johnstone, P.C.

Thomas N. Hollins, Jr. Reynolds Community College

Jean P. HolmanVirginia Credit Union

Neil S. KesslerTroutman Sanders

David R. Loope Reynolds Community College

Margaret E. ‘Lyn’ McDermid Federal Reserve

William L. Murray Dominion Resources

Theresa K. Nöe Patient First

J. Sargeant Reynolds, Jr. Reynolds Development

The Honorable Anne J. G. Rhodes Richmond, Virginia

Gary L. Rhodes Reynolds Community College

E. Massie Valentine, Jr. Davenport & Company LLC

Benjamin J. Warner Henrico Doctors’ Hospital

Directors Emeriti Dimitri B. Georgiadis (1927–2012) L. H. Ginn III

Lucylle F. Gordon (1920–2005)Jeanette S. LipmanJ. Sargeant Reynolds, Jr.Patricia L. Robertson

Special AdvisorR. Roland Reynolds Industry Little Hawk LLC

We welcome Bill Murray to the Board.

We thank Gianna Clark for her service.

To learn more about the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation, please contact:

Executive Director Bess Littlefield 804-523-5812 blittlefield@reynolds.edu

Director of Development Marianne McGhee 804-523-5810 mmcghee@reynolds.edu

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.

1651 East Parham Road Post Office Box 26924 Richmond, Virginia 23261-6924(804) 523-5181 phone (804) 523-5107 faxwww.reynolds.edu/givenow

WHERE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS GET STARTED

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My passion for workforce

development started pretty

early. As a kid, it would have

been best described as hustle.

Holding down a paper route,

cutting grass, shoveling snow;

any opportunity to work and

earn a dollar was welcome.

After high school, the stakes

were higher. What attracted

me to Reynolds was that it

presented an avenue to pursue

a degree while maintaining a

full-time job that I needed and

enjoyed. I was first interested in

engineering, but found that the

college had an excellent HVAC

program which blended theory

with practical application.

Today when I’m back on the

Parham Road Campus, amazed

at the growth I see, I meet

students who have the same

drive to earn a credential, use it

to define their future through

hard work, and give back to

others along the way. This is a

value beyond dollars.

You help our students and

graduates take these life-

changing steps, and I heartily

thank you on behalf of the

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community

College Educational Foundation.

Mitchell F. Haddon, Class of 1980

President, J. Sargeant Reynolds

Community College

Educational Foundation,

President & CEO,

ColonialWebb Contractors

IMPACT:

Your support helps outstanding careers and lives get started.

Your investment in Reynolds provides a value to our community beyond dollars.

reynolds.edu/foundation

Photography by Cabay Fine Photography

Gratitude

I am the first in my family of all the generations to attend college. My parents have great pride in me, and also knowing that you have confidence in me to work hard and become the best nurse I can be is wonderful encouragement. Thank you.

Meagan P., Nursing

I am so honored to receive my scholarship awards, and I work twice as hard at my classes because of them. These financial gifts are inspirational symbols that signify someone believes I can achieve my goals. That means a great deal.

Jennifer C., Paralegal Studies

In my opinion, the shortest way to freedom is by educating ourselves. It is hard to fight for something we don’t understand or know about. I know this by experience because I am an emigrant from a communist country (Cuba). My goal is to advocate for my patients, to help them understand and gain knowledge so they can be free to decide what is best for them.

Reinaldo R.,Nursing