Foundation
When Students Succeed Communities Thrive!
Some legacies are built with buildings. Others are built by quietly saying “yes” when a student has nowhere else to turn.
At Clark State and the Clark State College Foundation, we believe education changes lives — and no student should have to put their dreams on hold because of an unexpected obstacle. For more than 40 years, Clark State has stepped in when life threatened to interrupt a student’s education — a broken car, an empty refrigerator, a power shutoff notice, a young parent facing eviction.
This isn’t new work for us. It’s who we’ve always been.
Impact
A 2023 survey conducted through the Trellis Strategics Financial Wellness indicated:
- 73 percent of Clark State students would have trouble coming up with $500 in cash or credit to cover an unexpected expense
- 41 percent of students ran out of money six or more times that year.
Your gift of any size has an immediate impact as:
- 100 percent of all donations go directly to students
- 90 percent of students who benefit from Foundation scholarship continue to the next semester
- 100 percent of students who receive support report reduced stress and increased focus on educational goals.
Too often, $500 is the difference between staying in school — and walking away.
Because of our community’s generosity:
- Students receive scholarships and emergency support
- Regional workforce needs are met
- The college remains strong, accessible and student-centered
Together, we can ensure that unforeseen hardships never derail a student’s education because when students succeed, our entire community grows stronger.
The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Compassion in Action
In the early 1980s, former Clark State President Richard Brinkman saw students on the brink of dropping out of school because of short-term crises. He believed students deserved a hand up — not a handout.
Former Sweet Manufacturing Company Owner Dean Sweet believed in stepping forward when help was needed most.
Together, they created a flexible emergency support effort that help students remain in school when life’s unexpected moments threatened to end their education.
Letters from that time tell the story:
- A student whose apartment burned down
- A young mother abandoned with no rent money
- Students who simply needed bus fare or groceries
These were not traditional scholarships. They were lifelines. And they worked.
Today, Clark State students face remarkably similar challenges:
- Unexpected medical bills
- Childcare costs
- Housing instability
- Food insecurity
- Transportation breakdowns
Too often, $500 is the difference between persistence and withdrawal.
That is why the Clark State Foundation Board established the Dr. Jo Alice Blondin Student Opportunity Fund.
Dr. Jo Alice Blondin Student Opportunity Fund
Empowering Students. Building Futures. Honoring a Legacy.
When Jo Alice Blondin, Ph.D., arrived at Clark State College in 2013, she didn’t simply assume the presidency — she started the transformation what Clark State College could be for students, workforce and region. Over 13 years as Clark State’s fifth president — and across a 33-year career in higher education — she has led with urgency, compassion and an unwavering belief that student success must come first.
This endowed fund in her name reflects the very principles that have defined her presidency: flexibility, dignity, immediate impact and student-centered decision-making. It ensures that no student faces a crisis alone.
From emergency childcare and car repairs to medical expenses and essential course materials, the fund provides support of up to $500 per student per year — often the exact amount that determines whether a student remains enrolled or walks away.
From emergency childcare and car repairs to medical bills and essential course materials, this fund provides scholarships of up to $500 per student per year — often the exact amount that determines whether a student stays enrolled or drops out.
A Friendship That Continues the Legacy
This new chapter also reflects a powerful full-circle moment.
Community leader Alicia Sweet Hupp, daughter of Dean Sweet and a close friend of President Blondin, serves as honorary chair of this effort.
Just as her father once partnered with President Brinkman to step in when student crises threatened their education, Alicia and President Blondin share that same belief today: meet students where they are, offer a hand up when it matters most, protect paths to graduation.
What began as a partnership decades ago continues today — through friendship, shared values and a deep commitment to Clark State students.
Questions? Contact Us!
Kerry Pedraza
Executive Director, Foundation937-328-5494