Realignment, new focus for AWC Foundation
April 28, 2022Yuma, AZ (April 29, 2022) – The Arizona Western College Foundation is realigning its organizational structure to become more closely linked to the strategic priorities of the college district and position the team for an expanded scope to contribute to capital improvements, in complement to its already successful and historic role raising and distributing scholarships for AWC students.
Lori Stofft is adding Executive Director for the AWC Foundation to her Vice President for Advancement role; Laura Knaresboro will be the Chief Operating Officer; and Gladys Anaya is becoming the Development Manager.
These changes will add significant resources to the AWC Foundation with no additional cost to its donor-funded budget.
"I'm very much looking forward to shifting my role to include building partnerships across the region to support our students, our campuses and programs,” said Stofft. “The Foundation team has done a wonderful job of building a scholarship program second to none in our counties - and we're excited to build on that success and bring in partners to help transform our campus locations for the next two decades."
In her role as Executive Director, Laura Knaresboro has overseen the largest increase in endowed scholarships in any single year of the Foundation’s history, and as the new Chief Operating Officer, will help the Foundation maintain a robust connection to donors that care deeply for developing scholarship funds for college students.
“I am greatly looking forward to the opportunity to serve the Foundation as the Chief Operating Officer. It is an exciting time to be a part of such an important organization in our community. I am excited to continue to help the Foundation grow in its service to the college district and our amazing community,” said Knaresboro.
The college is seeking a deeper partnership with the AWC Foundation to support, in part, the projects outlined in the $34M Revenue Bond projects approved in 2021 by the elected AWC District Governing Board. That project includes a rebuild of the De Anza Residence Hall on the Yuma Campus, and a new yet-to-be named student learning – studying – gaming facility that also includes KAWC Public Media, the college’s television services team, a MakerSpace, and an Esports arena. A key element to developing those expanded partnerships is the volunteer Foundation Board of Directors, led by Crystal Gunderman of Foothills Bank.
“This change will, no doubt, bring greater growth and opportunity. I’m so proud to be a part of a progressive-thinking team of highly motivated individuals who rise to the occasion in supporting the college and our great community,” said Gunderman.
Since its establishment in 1963 as a supporting organization to the college, the Foundation has set the pace for scholarship development and distribution in Yuma and La Paz County. Currently the team manages nearly 300 scholarship and programmatic, funds and last year distributed over $380,000 in scholarships and program funds to nearly 150 students.
“In these changing and challenging times, the Foundation has been a beacon for our students who are seeking help to attend college. We’re growing the role of the organization to complement that rich history with a fundraising effort to enhance our campus locations to keep up with program growth and community needs,” said Dr. Daniel Corr, President of Arizona Western College. “We’re incredibly excited to partner with people and organizations that are passionate about the work community colleges are doing in rural Arizona.”
Contact:
Lori Stofft
Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of AWC Foundation
Arizona Western College
Lori.Stofft@azwestern.edu
(928) 314-9595