President Adam Manning welcomed everyone to the Centerville Rotary Club and led reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Brian Hayes provided the prayer.
Today’s quote provided by Don Overly: "We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have." Frederick Keonig (German inventor)
Thank you to our greeters today: Jim Harris and Mike Weir
Welcome today's guests: Brad H – daughter Bella; Gina – Rose Lovely; Steve Miller (speaker) – Linda White
Ron Tringali was inducted into the club by Ron Hollenbeck. Ron H will be Ron T’s mentor. Welcome to the club, Ron!
Today’s announcements:
- Membership Month: Keep Past Prez Sofie's request to bring someone you think may make a great Rotarian to a Thursday lunch meeting or invite them to our coffee club meetings.
- Uriah attended District 6670 Night at the Dragons Game – a rare win for them.
- Pancake Committee met prior to club meeting. Plan is to distribute tickets on 9/4.
- Board meeting on Monday, 8/18 at Joyce Young Center at 5:30 p.m.
- 722 coats have been purchased for Hannah’s Treasure Chest.
Happy Bucks this quarter will go to Disaster Relief for those affected by the recent flooding in Texas. Rotary District 5840 will distribute the funds.
Pat Beckel was our Sergeant at Arms with assistance by Brian Hayes.
- Pat B – Boomerfest this weekend at St. Leonards. Need club members to attend Party-in-the-Park and other community events. His wife is on the other side of the US, and his kids are in college, so he doesn’t cook or clean. He goes to bed at 8:00 p.m. It was asked if he is now living at St. Leonards
- Steve Miller (speaker) – happy his fiancé is here with him today.
- Brad H – Happy for our quests and for school starting.
- Wyatt – Just happy
- Sophie – Visited her in-laws in North Carolina, glad to be back, last trip with daughter before she returns to the Netherlands.
- Rose Lovely – Happy to be here.
- Gina – Happy for guests and had a great writing retreat over the weekend.
- Rand – Back from Texas. It was his mom’s 90th birthday. Spent a lot of time with his siblings. Soon leaving for Italy.
- Brad T – He’d like to nominate Wyatt’s mother for the Nobel Prize for patience as of today she’s been married to Brad for 49 years!!
- Adam – Big welcome for Ron T and our speaker. Bad news is that her car was seriously vandalized in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Don S. – Happy that his 24-year-old daughter Mallory survived 3 days in the back country. Hiked 36 miles in 3 days in the Teton Valley.
- Crissy – Happy for new member Ron T.
- Jake H – Happy for Ron T. His 5-year-old son broke his foot but is adapting well to the cast. He has resumed running around.
- Ron T. – Thanks for the great welcome and looking forward to getting involved with club members in club activities.
Today’s program: Steve Miller: Wilberforce University Institutional Advancement.
Today's speaker was Steven Miller, who currently serves as the Vice President of the Office of Institutional Advancement at Wilberforce University, the nation's oldest private historically Black University. In this role, Steven has successfully led comprehensive fundraising efforts that have resulted in raising over $3 million dollars in just the past two years-directly supporting student scholarships, infrastructure, and academic innovation.
Wilberforce University’s Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) is committed to sharing and advancing Wilberforce’s mission of educating students of high promise. They do this by fostering relationships with key stakeholders who desire to financially support the institution for long term impact to the community.
Their goal is to align and coordinate their work in the areas of development and marketing to foster positive relationships with their students, alumni, and generous donors and friends. They commit to providing multiple opportunities for you to become part of the Wilberforce University family, so that together, all things will be possible for the students and the University.
Key points made during his presentation:
-Wilberforce is a legacy worth preserving. The oldest HBCU in US as it was founded in 1856.
-"Preparing students not just for the way the world is today, but for what it's becoming"'
Example: Hosted the 1st Drone Camp. Trained 20 students in UAS (unmanned aerial systems).
-Undertaking a $25M capital campaign. Funds to be used for scholarships, new facilities, grow endowment.
-Actively seeking corporate partnerships, engagement of alumni, etc. He asked if Centerville Rotary might consider a scholarship of any dollar amount for one (1) student.
-Wilberforce had 500 students. Now has 800, with a goal of 1000 students.
-Result: not enough dormitory space. New dorms are in the construction phase.
-Wilberforce University was named for William Wilberforce, who was a pastor during the Civil War. He wanted to create a school for children of slaves.
-Wilberforce University was completely destroyed in 1972 by the tornadoes that went through Xenia.
