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Cutline:  Retiring NOCF Treasurer Anita Simpson received a floral arrangement in appreciation for her years of service to the foundation. (photo by Caroline Hillock/NOC).

NOC recognizes donors at annual dinner

91���� recognized its donors Monday night at the annual donor recognition dinner at the Renfro Center at NOC Tonkawa.

91���� Foundation President Brad Purdy opened the program saying,   “The purpose of this evening is to celebrate you (donors), you are all our guests of honor.”

The purpose of the NOC Foundation is to enhance the educational opportunities and Make a Difference for NOC students,” he added.  “Through your continued support, the foundation is able to carry out our mission by providing scholarships and grants to students and employees on an annual basis.”

“Whether a gift is established in honor of a special individual or in memory for one’s experience at 91����, the results are the same…helping students pursue their academic goals and continuing to build a tradition of excellence at NOC,” Purdy said.

“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Foundation has given out over $4 million dollars in scholarships and loans to over 8000 student awards during these past 30 years. There are a lot of exciting things happening at NOC, and the foundation continues to support the overall goals of the College.”

The program was emceed by Kayla Wooderson, Director of Development and Annual Giving for the NOC Foundation, Candy Oller, Director of Development and Planned Giving, and Sheri Snyder, Vice President for Development & Community Relations.

“We are so grateful to be able to help our students achieve their academic goals by reducing the financial barriers,” Snyder said.  “As the Executive Director of our Foundation, I can say without hesitation, that we are in a great position financially and are doing great things both on the College side and the Foundation collectively to ensure the future growth and support of our students and programs at 91����.”

Snyder also recognized Vice President for Financial Affairs and Foundation Treasurer Anita Simpson who is retiring this year.

“Her countless contributions to both the college and the foundation have not gone unnoticed,” Snyder said.  “Speaking on behalf of the entire foundation, we extend our deepest gratitude for your years of dedicated service as our treasurer. Your meticulous stewardship, integrity, and unwavering commitment have been the backbone of our financial stability and growth. As treasurer, you’ve not only safeguarded our resources but also inspired confidence and unity among us all. We will miss your calm presence, your humor in the midst of deadlines, and your genuine care for our foundation and the college.”

Snyder added that this is an exciting time at NOC due to the $17 million donation by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

“This is an exciting time for the Foundation as we continue to grow, innovate and champion transformational giving,” she said.  As you are aware, this past November, we were blessed to receive a $17 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.”

“This gift arrived at an already exciting time as we prepare to celebrate our milestone anniversary for the College as well as plan for the future of the Foundation. We kicked off this year with a Strategic Planning Retreat in January, which you can read about in the report. In the coming months, we will build a new Foundation Strategic Plan as well as develop a strategic plan for the Scott gift with purpose-driven steps balancing between an investment plan and spend down plan. For now, as President Morris likes to say, we are letting the money make money as we have it invested while we work through these strategic decisions.”

Snyder thanked the donors who make the foundation’s work possible.

“On behalf of our students, faculty, staff, and the entire college community, I want to say thank you to our donors. Thank you for believing in the potential of every student who walks through our doors. Thank you for understanding that education is not just about textbooks and classrooms—it’s about unlocking human potential, breaking cycles of limitation, and creating pathways to a better future.  Your contributions are not simply financial transactions. They are acts of faith—faith in our mission, faith in our students, and faith in the idea that when we lift one person, we lift entire communities.”

NOC students Alyssa Boyle, Sam Nam, Hope Bradford, Ashtyn Lumbers, and Noah Morriss each gave a short talk, thanking donors for their contributions that make student’s academic goals a reality.

NOC Fine Arts students Sam Anderson, Alia Dust, Gracie Fiscus, Britany Navarro-Martinez, and River Watson provided entertainment at the event, accompanied by NOC Fine Arts Division Chair Dr. Edward Dixon.