Dear donors and supporters,
It’s finals and graduation week! We have a record number of students walking on Friday, May 20, 2022, at Rabobank Stadium. Typically, we have 420 students participate but this year, we have more than 700. This is amazing!
On behalf of the Hartnell College Foundation staff and board, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to our Class of 2022!
The day after commencement, we celebrate your support of our students and our community at our annual Party Near the Library event! I look forward to seeing you there.
I am excited to share the story below. One that celebrates one of my dear mentors, my predecessor at the Foundation, Beverly Grova.
May you be inspired and be well,
Jackie Cruz
VP Advancement and Development
Executive Director for Hartnell College Foundation
CELEBRATING OUR DONORS
Beverly Grova, proud Legacy Society Member
“It’s fun to see Hartnell College continue to grow and explode in all directions with a new building, new campuses, and integrated into the community,” said Beverly Grova, former executive director of the Hartnell College Foundation.
Grova, pictured with daughters Monica and Ariana, was hired to take the helm of the Foundation in 2006. A longtime resident of Santa Cruz, she felt it was important to assist the community college district in reaching new heights. When Grova started at the Foundation the agriculture program did not exist at the College and she knew that in order to raise much-needed support, “we needed to have these programs in ag tech, plants, food safety, etc.”
With this in mind, she took action. She and Ag Instructor, Neil Ledford (featured in our last e-newsletter!) got together to talk about the needs of students, the community, and Hartnell College.
Grova and Ledford created a plan for the next 3-5 years. With Neil’s help, a curriculum was created and more Ag faculty were hired. “Bruce Taylor and David Gill were [also] key in starting new programs,” she said.
“One of my most memorable moments while at Hartnell was the opening of the Alisal Campus,” she said. “It was phenomenal!”
She recalls the Alisal Campus was to be focused on technology, but with the help of the ag community, the focus shifted to serve the need for more programs to support the local ag industry and prepare students for jobs in the field. In addition, Grova made a critical connection to NASA, adding their resources to the campus as well.
“The community and the people made me stay,” she said. “The board, the staff, the faculty, and then Superintendent/President, Phoebe Helm – they all helped facilitate change and assisted in an enormous way.”
Grova transitioned to a new job and was happy to leave Hartnell in the hands of Jackie Cruz, who calls Grova a mentor.
“She is from the community and has a deep understanding of [it] and has a huge heart – it’s an honor to be called Jackie’s mentor,” she said.
She added that Cruz has done an amazing job and is proud of the decision she made to hire her. She is also grateful to see how Hartnell’s reach and programs continue to grow and expand.
“One of the things I am most proud of is the increased connection and partnership with CSU Monterey Bay and UC Santa Cruz,” she said. “Things we talked about over 10 years ago, are now here and better, like the new nursing facilities, expansion of the arts, the growth of philanthropy.”
Even after leaving Hartnell, Grova continues to stay involved. She is a Legacy Society member and a cheerleader for all things Hartnell. She is proud to be part of a community that, in her opinion, is the most philanthropic.
“Donors were so important to me and I want to express my appreciation for their involvement in leveraging grants and bond measures to bring Hartnell College to the place it is in now,” she said.
Beverly grew up in Santa Cruz and has four adult children and four grandchildren. After leaving Hartnell, she was the VP of Philanthropy for Dominican Hospital-Dignity Health from where she retired about seven years ago. She enjoys her free time with her grandkids (Michael and Charlie Hohn shown in the picture), does ceramics, plays the African marimba, and is a consultant for homeless veterans’ services. She continues to be involved with Hartnell College Foundation and is proud of the success of another cherished program, the Women’s Education and Leadership Institute (WELI).
“I am impressed with the students – the college is a place that provides them with hope,” she said.
At the Hartnell College Foundation, we thank Beverly for paving the way and making a huge difference in our community. The foundation she created is strong and as such, we continue to build on it to support our students.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Plan for your Future
When we go shopping, it is best to have a list. When we do, we don’t forget to pick up that needed item, and we are also less likely to buy too much. Lists make sense. Planning pays.
When you think about the important people and charities in your life, have you written a plan to take care of them? If the peace of mind that comes with planning and the possibility of significant tax savings appeal to you, we have done the work for you. We make it easy.
Just like a store, we have shelves of ideas, such as charitable gift annuity, IRA rollovers, beneficiary designations, and more. We can even send you our complimentary estate planning kit. Our guides and ideas come with no cost and there is never any obligation. Call or email us to help you prepare a beautiful list for life.
When we go shopping, it is best to have a list. When we do, we don’t forget to pick up that needed item, and we are also less likely to buy too much. Lists make sense. Planning pays.
When you think about the important people and charities in your life, have you written a plan to take care of them? If the peace of mind that comes with planning and the possibility of significant tax savings appeal to you, we have done the work for you. We make it easy.
Just like a store, we have shelves of ideas, such as charitable gift annuity, IRA rollovers, beneficiary designations, and more. We can even send you our complimentary estate planning kit. Our guides and ideas come with no cost and there is never any obligation. Call or email us to help you prepare a beautiful list for life.