With college rates nationally at their highest, students at Cape Fear Community College can breathe a little easier after the college’s foundation broke its annual fundraising record.
 
The college announced Monday that the foundation received over $2 million in private contributions during the 2013-14 fiscal year, which ended June 30.
 
The money will primarily support student scholarships.
 
Sara Strassle, who led the foundation board last year, said she believes the boost in fundraising is a result of the community’s generosity and the hard work of the foundation’s board and staff.
 
“Reaching this $2 million dollar milestone for student scholarships and programs certainly recognizes the hard work of the College’s Foundation. Even more important, such a milestone illustrates the remarkable goodwill of our community – the neighborhoods and businesses who support our mission,” Strassle said in a statement. “Our students benefit most from these dollars, and they then contribute to the economic and social health of our region.”
 
Strassle recently ended her time as foundation chairwomen, but she is confident that new chairwoman Jan Rowe Capps will continue the foundation’s pattern of success.
 
“Jan understands the positive cycle of community support as well as anyone I know,” Strassle said in a statement. “With her leadership, our Foundation Board will continue to develop goodwill and generosity for the benefit of CFCC's students.”
 
The CFCC Foundation hosts various events throughout the year to raise money for student scholarships beginning with the employee-led Campus Fund Drive, which averages over $80,000 yearly. Other major events include a golf and tennis tournament, the NewBridge Bank Bridge to Bridge 4.0 Race and the Gift of Education luncheon.
 
CFCC President Ted Spring said the efforts of the foundation to “ensure as many people as possible can afford to attend CFCC” were greatly appreciated, according to the release.
 
“Many of our students have family and financial obligations outside of the cost of going to school, so private support is absolutely essential,” Spring said in a statement.