Contacts: Suzanne Higgins
suzanne.higgins@gcmail.maricopa.edu 623.845.3808
George A. Martinez
george.martinez@gcmail.maricopa.edu 623.845.3605
Prominent GCC Alumni to be Honored at Awards Dinner, Oct. 7
Gala Alumni Dinner/Dance at Wigwam Resort to Support GCC Student Scholarships
Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer, GCC Football Coach Joe Kersting and others will be honored for philanthropy, achievement, and service to Glendale Community College at a gala fund-raising dinner Sat., Oct. 7, at the Wigwam Resort, 300 Wigwam Blvd. in Litchfield Park. Sponsored by the GCC Alumni Association, the "Awards for Excellence Recognition Dinner" will be an evening of awards, silent auction, dinner, music, and dancing to benefit scholarships for Glendale Community College students.
From 6:00-7:00 p.m. guests will enjoy a cocktail hour and a silent auction featuring a Steve Nash autographed basketball jersey; signed Diamondbacks memorabilia; a signed Cardinals football; an Apple iPod; gift certificates for shopping, dining and entertainment; oil painting; jewelry, a trip to Las Vegas and more.
From 7:00-8:30 p.m., during the dinner and awards program, GCC alumni will receive awards for excellence, service, philanthropy and achievement. Non-alumni awards will honor distinguished friends, faculty and staff of GCC.
Dancing will be from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.
Tickets for the entire evening are $75 per person. Those who cannot attend the dinner may purchase "dance-only" tickets for $25. Contact Frances Mateo at
frances.mateo@gcmail.maricopa.edu or 623.845.3147 to purchase tickets or for more information. Tickets must be purchased by noon on Thurs., Oct. 5.
Banner Thunderbird Medical Center will receive the Distinguished Friend Award for Excellence in recognition of the more than $100,000 in scholarships it has given to GCC nursing students since initiating the ongoing scholarship program in 1992.
Brewer will receive the Outstanding Alumni Award for Excellence--the highest award bestowed upon alumni of GCC--reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavor, demonstrated superior leadership, and championed activities that benefited the larger community.
Kersting, of Glendale, will receive the Special Award for Excellence in recognition of his 19 successful years as GCC Head Football Coach, which included three NJCAA national championships, a 105-42-0 record, an NJCAA Coach of the Year Award in 2005, and his 2006 induction into the NJCAA Hall of Fame.
Dr. Velvie Green, president of GCC and Dr. Rufus Glasper, chancellor of the Maricopa Community Colleges will be in attendance as special guests.
