Pictured (left to right): Dr. John Rainone, President of MGCC, Amy Phillips, Executive Director of MGCC Educational Foundation, Tina Davenport, trustee of the Ratcliffe Foundation, Dr. David Doré, Chancellor of the VCCS, Carlene Cassidy, CEO of the Ratcliffe Foundation, Annette Patterson CEO of The Advancement Foundation and Bruce Loving, Development Officer at MGCC Educational Foundation.

Community College Philanthropists Honored with
2024 Chancellor’s Award   Richmond, VA (April 24, 2024) - Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation of Annapolis, MD, has received the 18th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. They were nominated for the award by Mountain Gateway Community College. Hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCEE), more than two dozen individuals, families, and organizations have earned the 2024 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. The awards were presented at a luncheon ceremony in Richmond on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. VCCS Chancellor Dr. David DorĂ© served as emcee, and The Honorable Maurice Jones was featured as the keynote speaker. “Virginia’s growth, prosperity, and well-being depend on the success of our community college system and the success of our students,” said Jones. “From childcare and housing assistance to reducing food insecurity, we must care and invest in the whole student for students and the Commonwealth to be successful.” The Ratcliffe Foundation has given a cumulative total of $1,080,000 and significantly impacted the creation of the Wilson Workforce Center including making the purchase and the renovations of the building possible. In addition, they are supporting local entrepreneurs through the Scholars program with the Advancement Foundation. Their funding has helped several small businesses in our community open their doors or sustain their businesses. Dr. John Rainone, President at Mountain Gateway stated “The support from the Ratcliffe Foundation has been transformational to our workforce efforts as well as to our local entrepreneurs through the Ratcliffe Scholars. The generosity of the Ratcliffe Foundation is not only impacting our students’ lives, but also will have an impact in our community. They have and will change many lives.”

This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has collectively contributed $17 million.

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