Dear donors and supporters,
Last week, our students and faculty had a well-deserved week off – it was Spring Break! Our campus is once again full of students and expectation as we look ahead to graduation and celebrations.
This Saturday, April 23, we are having our first WELI Spring Soirée! The Women’s Education & Leadership Institute (WELI) provides resources, education, social support, and mentorship to women in our Hartnell community. The Spring Soirée will support the endowment of the WELI program and its scholars for years to come.
This year, the program will feature WELI mentors and WELI Scholar alumnae, sharing their stories of success. This event would not be possible without the heart and support of our sponsors – huge thank you to all of you!
I hope you know what your support means to us and to all of the students who benefit from your support. Please keep reading for a truly heartwarming story about one of our amazing students.
Be well,
Jackie Cruz
VP Advancement and Development
Executive Director for Hartnell College Foundation
EXTREMELY GRATEFUL
An alumna shares her journey toward her life’s purpose
Yoli Cervantes grew up in Salinas and married her high school sweetheart with whom she shares a 13-year-old son. When it was time for her to attend college, she had no question about her choice.
“I’m a first-generation college student graduate,” she said. “For me, it was important to be at a community college that supports the Latino community and that’s exactly what I got at Hartnell.”
During her time at Hartnell, she sought assistance to cover her fees and expenses and found what she needed to help her at the Hartnell College Foundation.
“Every endowment that they had or scholarship that I was given always had a story behind it, and it was always nice to write a thank you letter,” she said. “The Foundation, you guys strive on! I love the galas to raise funds, I mean, everyone is with us students, supporting us in our success.”
Yoli, 36, is now a nurse at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP). She recalls having a good experience at Hartnell and that her instructors had a passion for teaching and cared about their students. The nursing program, she feels, truly prepares students to perform in their field at the top level.
“I honestly think the faculty is what makes you and prepares you,” she said. “By giving us all the tools necessary, by giving us a well-versed clinical site education.”
She speaks highly of the practicum experience at nursing homes, at Natividad Hospital, at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, and other clinics in the area. She appreciated the additional tools and resources she benefitted from while attending career fairs and witnessing her instructors promote higher education. In 2013, she graduated from Hartnell.
“Hartnell was really the foundation for my success,” she said. After Hartnell, she transferred to CSU Monterey Bay and earned her Bachelors in Nursing.
“It was a very enriching experience and one day in the future I plan to give back what was given to me,” she said.
Aside from being an outstanding student in nursing, Yoli pursued education around politics and advocacy. She participated in a Nursing: Politics and Policy internship where she learned to represent her fellow nurses and their rights. She traveled to Sacramento to the Senate and Assembly and to learned their language. She recalls meeting former Salinas Mayor, Anna Caballero during her time in Sacramento.
“I am still involved in policy – when I feel my voice needs to be heard, I always start with ‘as a Hartnell graduate and current nurse in the community,’” she said. “While at Hartnell, I got this internship that taught me the power of a voice in politics and I am happy to speak on behalf of all nurses.”
This Hartnell alumna says she is living her goals and dreams. She is grateful to one of her nursing instructors in particular, Mary Cousineau, for inspiring her to go into pediatrics. She followed her advice and entered a residency program. She was recently accepted into the Perioperative RN Training Program at CHOMP, which for her is an absolute dream. “It’s surreal,” she said.
After completing this program, Yoli plans to go back to school for her masters and return to Hartnell as an instructor to teach the next generation of nursing students.
“Hartnell is changing and shaping the next generation; it is wonderful to see everything that they have done to the campus,” she said. “I’m just really proud to say I’m a Hartnell graduate.”
In her spare time, Yoli loves to hike, to travel with her family, enjoys Star Wars, and likes to try new places to eat.
“I’m forever grateful and I don’t mind doing anything for Hartnell, inspiring others, sharing my story, etc., because as my mother used to say “Si se puede,”” she said.
A GIFT OF INSURANCE
It’s easier than you think
At age 65, Melinda, a surviving spouse, was retiring and looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren and the local charity where she volunteered. Melinda had purchased a life insurance policy many years ago naming her children as beneficiaries. One of her children had unexpectedly passed away, while the other continued to work and accumulate significant assets. Melinda wondered what could be done with her insurance policy that was no longer needed for its intended use.
Melinda learned that the policy could be gifted to fund a charitable gift annuity that would pay her fixed payments for life. Based on the premiums Melinda had paid, she would receive a nice charitable deduction. Best of all, Melinda knew that the policy proceeds would be used well by the charitable organization.
MAKING A GIFT OF
LIFE INSURANCE
It’s easy to make an outright gift of a life insurance policy. Simply contact your insurance company and fill out the proper change of ownership form, designating our organization as the new owner. If we decide to hold onto the policy, you may make cash contributions each year to cover the policy premiums. You may be entitled to an additional charitable income tax deduction for each of these gifts.
BEQUEST OF INSURANCE
Life insurance proceeds can make a wonderful gift to charity. The gift of life insurance can be made by simply naming us as the beneficiary of your policy. Your life insurance proceeds will help further our good work and your estate may benefit from an estate tax charitable deduction based on the value of the proceeds paid.
LET US HELP YOU
To learn more about the benefits of making a gift of your assets to support our cause, please contact Director of Philanthropy, Kristine Edmunds at kedmunds@hartnell.edu or by phone at (831) 755-6903. We can work with you and your advisors to develop a plan that meets your goals.
At age 65, Melinda, a surviving spouse, was retiring and looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren and the local charity where she volunteered. Melinda had purchased a life insurance policy many years ago naming her children as beneficiaries. One of her children had unexpectedly passed away, while the other continued to work and accumulate significant assets. Melinda wondered what could be done with her insurance policy that was no longer needed for its intended use.
Melinda learned that the policy could be gifted to fund a charitable gift annuity that would pay her fixed payments for life. Based on the premiums Melinda had paid, she would receive a nice charitable deduction. Best of all, Melinda knew that the policy proceeds would be used well by the charitable organization.
MAKING A GIFT OF
LIFE INSURANCE
It’s easy to make an outright gift of a life insurance policy. Simply contact your insurance company and fill out the proper change of ownership form, designating our organization as the new owner. If we decide to hold onto the policy, you may make cash contributions each year to cover the policy premiums. You may be entitled to an additional charitable income tax deduction for each of these gifts.
BEQUEST OF INSURANCE
Life insurance proceeds can make a wonderful gift to charity. The gift of life insurance can be made by simply naming us as the beneficiary of your policy. Your life insurance proceeds will help further our good work and your estate may benefit from an estate tax charitable deduction based on the value of the proceeds paid.
LET US HELP YOU
To learn more about the benefits of making a gift of your assets to support our cause, please contact Director of Philanthropy, Kristine Edmunds at kedmunds@hartnell.edu or by phone at (831) 755-6903. We can work with you and your advisors to develop a plan that meets your goals.