GCSU faculty and staff give back

Since the start of The State Charitable Contributions Program in 1982, GCSU has taking the initiative to participate in the program each year. This statewide program provides faculty and staff with a chance to give back to any United Way program that is participating in the program.

GCSU officially kicked off their own campaign as a fundraiser for the program on Oct. 18. Suzanne Pittman, director of this year’s campaign and Vice President of Enrollment Management, says she has shared information on this program with every faculty and staff member here at GCSU.

“What we’ve done is let faculty and staff know more about the programs that are available and why its important to give,” Pittman said. “We’ve asked people that are known for giving that are here on campus to kind of give a story about why they think its important to give and why they give personally because you know may find that someone else finds meaning in their story and it prompts them to give or to give more.”

Many employees of the GCSU community have decided to give back to specific charity of their choice. One such faculty member giving back is Elaine Whitaker, professor of English and chair of the Department of English & Rhetoric.

Whitaker spent a great deal of her childhood, in Little Rock, AR., at the Boys and Girls Club. Her parents owned a fire and safety equipment company and instead of going to the business after school she decided to spend her time at the Boys Club. There she participated in ballet and tap dancing, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

She expressed that the decision to give back to the Boys and Girls club was an easy one.

“I just want to do my share and the United Way makes it possible for us to all just get the money together,” Whitaker said. “I’m grateful to the state system for making it possible for me to do it so easily. It’s a good thing and it enables us, our gifts also go through Georgia College and it enables Georgia College to say, ‘hey, look, our employees are doing this, our employees are giving back to the community.’”

There are several different charities that are a part of the program, which employees may donate to. Employees who want to give back can make their contributions through the monthly payroll deduction program, with a credit or debit cards or simply by writing a check.

Media Relation Manager Judy Bailey expressed that donations big or small will make a difference.

“I know that this year the focus is more on 100 percent participation of everybody on the campus, faculty and staff, rather than the amount of money that everyone gives because even small amounts of money add up,” Bailey said. “The focus is to try to get everybody to join in and help even if it’s a small donation.

The campaign will conclude on Nov. 19. Personal stories shared by various faculty and staff members, on why they decided to give, are featured under News and Events featured on the GCSU website.

Posted by Lauren Davidson on Nov 5 2010. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.