By J.D. Rottweiler, Ph.D.
With Thanksgiving tomorrow, I have been thinking a lot about both parts of that word, thanks and giving. I want to give THANKS to so many who GIVE. The Cochise College Foundation promotes student success through scholarships, facilities improvement, and program support. Over the past 55 years, thousands of students’ lives have been impacted by the generous GIVING from you, our many alumni, community supporters, and employees. For this I give THANKS!
Under the capable leadership of current and past board members, the foundation’s vision is that Cochise College be accessible to all and affordable by our diverse and changing communities. Because of your GIVING, more than $715,000 in scholarships was awarded last academic year. More than 800 students received 1,000-plus awards; these included 453 Senior Scholarships, 47 Non-Traditional Student Scholarships, and 311 other named scholarships.
Another $129,000 supported programs. Examples include assistance for Adult Education students taking high school equivalency exams and fuel vouchers for technical students traveling great distances to class. In addition, the foundation funds materials for one student-built project house per year; residential construction students are now working on House #5 in old Fry Town.
This year I provide THANKS to one who is GIVING all he had for the betterment of Cochise College. George Christopher Bugen passed away in March, leaving the college, via the Cochise College Foundation, all his assets, a game-changing gift, easily the largest in college history.
In December 2011, I met George, who was interested in making a substantial gift in support of the students at Cochise College. Thus began a 10-year relationship that I’ll never forget, and one that has changed my life and the course of Cochise College.
I learned a lot about George at our first encounter, first and foremost that I could relate to him. His is a story of humble beginnings, hard work and learning, passion and opportunity, investing and saving, family pride, and leaving something for the greater good.
George’s father immigrated from Yugoslavia and married a Bisbee native in 1925. In addition to running a store, the family was active in professional, civic and social circles and were members of the St. Stephen Nemanja Serbian Orthodox Church. George, his father, and his brother were all veterans. George turned up in my office because he liked the look of Cochise College and what we were doing for local students. So, we took a tour as George did his estate planning research.
George’s brother, Sam, had passed away, and he had custody of Sam’s assets. George was the last of his immediate family. He could have lived large. Instead, he made a commitment to invest in education.
In 2012, the college received an initial donation of Sam’s invested assets and his home in Bisbee. At the time, the approximately $1 million gift was the largest recorded in college foundation history. We publicly celebrated the naming of the Bugen Family Career & Technical Education Building at the Sierra Vista Campus.
I’m sad to say that I can no longer help George out of his car, chat about the stock market, or involve him in student success stories. I’ll miss his weekly drive-by visits to the Bugen Family CTE Building and the Downtown Center, where his assets aided in construction and a plaque outlines his family’s history in Cochise County. But I will carry out his wishes to make further improvements at the Sierra Vista Campus. I only wish he could witness the outcome of his GIVING.
I don’t think I could give any more THANKS than at this time of year when so many have been GIVING for the future betterment of others. If you could do with a jolt of joy, know that our college and our foundation can make your charitable goals a reality and celebrate the ultimate outcome – student success – with you.
J.D. ROTTWEILER, Ph.D., is president of Cochise College. Contact him at jdr@cochise.edu.