Normandale Community College Foundation Inc

College Improvements and Program Support: At Normandale Community College, innovation begins where need is greatest. The Foundation plays a catalytic role---responding quickly to barriers that prevent students from succeeding, and piloting programs until the College can assume them long term. We act as the bridge between what students need now and what systems will eventually sustain. In FY2025, Foundation-led initiatives reached hundreds of students and families:Academy of Math and Science - A cohort-based STEM program designed to increase the representation of students of color in high-demand science and math fields. Students receive mentoring, community, and targeted academic support that translate to higher retention and transfer rates.Random Acts of Kindness Emergency Grants - Rapid, no-red-tape assistance that helps students weather crises like eviction, illness, or loss of transportation. Many say it's the single reason they remained in school.Campus Cupboard - A dignified, full-service grocery store where students can access fresh produce, dairy, frozen meals, and culturally specific foods. The program grows by 30% annually and is vital for students balancing rent, childcare, and food costs.Laptops for Lions - Free laptops and digital literacy support distributed through the Student Success Center. Providing access to technology reduces the Black-White achievement gap by one-third, illustrating how targeted resources create structural equity.Sirtify Teacher Pathway Program - A transformative partnership preparing Black men to become licensed K-12 teachers. Participants receive tuition, living stipends, books, fees, and professional development. The Foundation is sustaining program staff for three years until institutional funding is secured.Academic Travel Scholarships - Grants of $500-$1,000 enabling students---many first-generation or low-income---to experience academic travel opportunities that expand worldview and confidence.These programs embody our belief that access alone is not enough; students need safety, stability, and opportunity. From food and housing to digital access and global experience, each initiative is an investment in dignity and success.

Scholarship Program: At the heart of the Normandale Community College Foundation is a simple belief: when you remove financial barriers, talent rises. In FY2025, the Foundation awarded $725,928 in direct student aid through 828 individual scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. Each award represents one student's turning point---an early-childhood educator able to finish her practicum, a dental-hygiene student affording required equipment, a parent able to reduce work hours and focus on coursework. Most Normandale students are working adults, many balancing parenting, elder care, and multiple jobs. A modest scholarship can literally determine whether a student persists or pauses their education. Our recipients frequently write to say that scholarship support gave them "the chance to breathe," "the courage to keep going, and "the belief that someone saw potential in me." The program advances the College's strategic goal to eliminate all race-based gaps in opportunity and achievement by 2030. More than half of Normandale students identify as racially diverse, and most are first-generation. Our scholarship portfolio is designed to meet students where they are---funding both individual awards and community-scale initiatives such as the campus free grocery store, free laptop program, and emergency aid fund. We are building not just access but equity. Each scholarship strengthens Minnesota's workforce, fuels local economic mobility, and affirms the dignity of students who have long been underrepresented in higher education. Every donor partnership is a story of belief. Together, we are rewriting what community college success looks like---and proving that when investment meets potential, the return is extraordinary.