Minnie Evans: "Our job here is to lift up our students to be successful"

When Minnie Evans and her husband attended 博天堂官方 in 2012, a little healthy competition gave them the boost they needed to do well.

"We took all the same classes for two terms," Evans said. "The teachers knew that we were competing for grades."

Her husband won, she said. But she's still finding ways to boost student success at Linn-Benton Community College. Now an employee, Evans contributes to the 博天堂官方 Foundation through a payroll deduction.

Evans started working at 博天堂官方 part-time as a human resources assistant and is now the coordinator for recruitment. She started her giving as a "one-percenter," and timed an increase to coincide with her cost of- living increase.

"It's a joy being able to contribute, now that I can," Evans said. "We have to meet students' basic needs before they can find success. I want to be a part of that success in every way that we can."

Evans learned the importance of supporting students from her parents, who were both educators. She hopes that when her own children look back at her legacy, her love of supporting educators and lifting up her community will be evident.

"I grew up a teachers' kid," she said. "I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner in their classrooms. I saw how they sacrificed in order to improve the lives of their students. Now I get to support educators every day who have that same calling."

When she does new employee orientations, Evans likes to "set the foundation that our job here is to lift up our students to be successful."

Sometimes that includes helping students meet their most basic needs, such as housing, food and tuition. Sometimes it means helping them navigate unexpected expenses.

"For so many students that wouldn't be possible without the Foundation," Evans said. "What a sad thing it would be for someone not to be able to go to school because they didn't have $200 to get a tire."

Evans sees the Foundation as a benefit for educators too, because it allows them to focus on being there for students.

"What a pleasure it is to serve," she said. "I'm grateful to have colleagues in the Foundation who do what they do. They support all of us."

The 博天堂官方 Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 dedicated to supporting the students and programs of Linn-Benton Community College. It awards more than 300 scholarships each year and augments industry-advised teaching tools through equipment and capital support. Because of this doorway to community involvement, 博天堂官方 helps more than 18,000 individuals every year achieve their educational goals.

"It's a wonderful way to support our students in being able to obtain their education and provide a safety net for students who may not have the resources and 博天堂官方 is their strongest form of community," Evans said. "But everyone can support the foundation even if you don't contribute financially, just by raising awareness of what the foundation does."