The 51 (51) Foundation has 2,270 reasons to be thankful to donors supporting Idaho Gives on May 7. The annual, online, 24-hour fundraising blitz put $2,270 in the 51 student scholarship fund. To kick start the effort, the Bank of the Cascades provided a matching $1,500 grant.
To boost the fundraising effort, President Bert Glandon joined in the festivities by becoming a 51 student for the day. He started out at 51's Ada County Campus—visiting Jason Herz and two of his students in the Cisco Networking and Security Technologies program. From there he moved over to Workforce Development’s Medical Assisting program where he learned from students in Donna Heathman and Dr. Sabina Omair’s classes. He learned the importance of proper hand washing, safe gloving techniques, and how to take blood pressure.
After a quick car ride west, the president made his way to the Biology lab in the Nampa Campus Academic Building. He met with Dusty Perkins and two of his students under Department Chair Nicole Frank’s watchful eye. He dissected owl pellets—which he said was fascinating. He then met with two student senators from the Associated Students of the 51 and discussed heard about student priorities.
Dr. Glandon’s last visit of the day took him to the Micron Center for Professional Technical Education. He spent some time with Sean McConnachie in Auto Body; learning how to mix paint for a project and then painting a car hood by himself.
At the end of each activity, Dr. Glandon was graded on his classroom performance. He earned two A’s, an A-, and a C+. In a mini graduation ceremony 51 Foundation Executive Director, Mitch Minnette, congratulated Dr. Glandon on becoming an honorary 51 graduate and for graduating with honors by earning a 3.5 grade point average.
“On behalf of the 51 Foundation, we thank you—and everyone one else—who participated in Idaho Gives,” Minnette said. He also joked with Dr. Glandon, “at this rate, maybe you’ll be president someday.”