North Campus Supporters Recognized

Two of Cuesta’s most passionate supporters have received a nationwide honor for their work in promoting the value of a community college education.

Gene and Lois Miller were awarded the Benefactor of the Year Award by the Council for Resource Development (CRD), an affiliate and major council of the American Association of Community Colleges. Recognizing individuals and corporations whose financial contributions have broadened opportunities for students at community and technical colleges, the Millers were selected out of hundreds of nominees for the prestigious award.

Described as humble, compassionate and devoted to the mission of the community college, the Millers have given $213,000 to Cuesta and donated another $102,700 from Chemron, a North County manufacturing company they founded in l977. Seeing their own six children having to travel more than 100 miles every day in order to access a good education at Cuesta, the Millers dedicated themselves to a satellite campus. To that end, they helped launch Cuesta’s first ever-capital campaign to meet the growing need for local access to education.

In addition to their financial gifts, the couple also helped create the Expanding Your Horizons program, a college workshop for middle school girls to boost interest in math and science. Simultaneously, the Millers donated to the Chemistry Carnival, a faculty generated program for local school children. With the inspiration and hard-working example of the tireless couple, enough funding was finally raised to open the North County Campus in August of l998. The Millers then offered an additional $200,000 to complete the chemistry lab, stating that “We have accomplished our dreams and we want to give back to help others accomplish theirs.”

Gene Miller accepted the award in mid-May in Vancouver, where the Council for Resource Development held its regional conference for representatives of the Western United States/Canada, Hawaii, Guam and Trust Territories. Accompanying Miller was June Stephens, Executive Director of the Cuesta College Foundation/Institutional Advancement.

CRD’s mission is to educate and advocate for community college leaders dedicated to securing resources and increasing the effectiveness of the institutions and students they serve. With a current CRD membership of more than 1,500 persons, CRD represents more than 1,000 two-year colleges in the United States and Canada. Membership is open to anyone interested in the welfare of two-year colleges, and includes development officers, grant writers, foundation directors, college presidents, administrators and staff.