During the holidays when gift giving abounds, I am reminded of the words of Kahlil Gibran: “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

Givers of self

At Paul D. Camp Community College, we are truly blessed by the many people who give of themselves in support of the College and its mission. For example, members of our College Board, acting in an advisory capacity, take responsibility for assuring that the college is responsive to existing needs in its service region, while members of the PDCCC Foundation Board work diligently to secure resources that promote the continuing progress of the college.

And members of our many advisory committees assist the faculty and administration in planning, conducting, and evaluating each of the college’s Occupational-Technical Programs; they also provide counsel in the development of new programs that reflect the changing needs for trained personnel in the community.

We are additionally blessed by the people in the communities served by the College and the many forms of giving they do to enhance the quality of life and to make a difference for others. It is truly wonderful to count all the ways that people are giving through volunteer work. Their unselfish acts are the truest forms of gift giving.

Scholarships

A broad array of individuals and community organizations (and local foundations) provides needed scholarships for our students. The range of scholarship options through the generosity of others includes awards given in memory of loved ones, awards directed to certain occupational tracks and awards to honor someone living.

Examples of memorial scholarships include the Dean Nancy Sandberg Scholarship, established by her family and friends in memory of Dr. Sandberg and her positive contributions to education and PDCCC; the Connie Patterson Memorial Nursing Scholarship, established in Patterson’s honor by the Office of Internal Medicine, where she worked as a medical administrator until her death in 2006; and more recently, the Kyle Jones Memorial Scholarship, given by the True Word Christian Church in memory of past member Kyle Jones.

The Col. Lula B. Holland, U.S. Army (Retired), MSW, BSN, AA Scholarship is an example of a scholarship honoring a living example of public service. Established by Col. Holland’s daughter,

this scholarship provides for books and incidentals related to the completion of a degree by a non-traditional student. Former College President Ed Barnes also sponsors the Shirley Barnes Scholarship, in honor of his wife and her many contributions.

Student volunteerism

Paul D. Camp students have a strong history of volunteerism in the communities we serve. They

collect food for the needy, sponsor fundraisers for worthy causes, and our student nurses provide

free blood pressure readings at local events. Community service is an important part of their college experience.

In this season of giving, let us not forget, in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only gift is a portion of thyself.”

Reminder

The college will reopen Jan. 4. Registration for spring semester 2010 continues through Jan. 8. Spring semester classes start Jan. 11.

For information on courses scheduled for spring semester, visit www.pdc.edu.

Dr. Patsy Joyner is the vice president for Institutional Advancement at PDCCC.