Dr. Condoleezza Rice to Speak at Cuyahoga Community College Foundation Luncheon

CLEVELAND, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cuyahoga Community College Foundation will present Dr. Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State (2005-2009), as keynote speaker at its 2010 Presidential Scholarship Luncheon.  The luncheon, scheduled for Thursday, October 21, 11:30 a.m. – 1:05 p.m. at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, is another sell-out, with more than 1,100 people expected to be in attendance.

Proceeds from the Presidential Scholarship Luncheon will provide scholarships to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) students who might not otherwise be able to access or continue their college education. Since the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation held its first luncheon in 1992, more than $7.3 million has been raised for student scholarships.  Proceeds are distributed to the numerous Tri-C Foundation scholarship funds, including the First Generation Scholarship Fund, Presidential Scholarship Fund, Gap Scholarship Fund and Veterans Scholarship Fund.  Each scholarship awarded contributes to the quality of life for all by providing a stronger workforce for the region.

Tri-C is experiencing its largest enrollment ever, with approximately 35,000 students taking classes during the fall semester.  This enrollment exceeds Tri-C's previous record set just last year.  The reasons for the record enrollment are tied to the economy.  More first-time students are choosing to start their college careers at Tri-C to save money, while many displaced workers are coming back to Tri-C to learn new skills to compete in the current job market.  As attendance increases, so does the need for scholarships.

The support generated by the Luncheon is critical, now more than ever.  As Northeast Ohio looks forward to economic recovery, it is essential to continue developing a skilled workforce trained in the technologies and growth industries of the new economy.  With 85 percent of Tri-C graduates remaining in the region following graduation, our local economy benefits from the education Tri-C provides to students today.

Dr. Rice, currently a professor of business and political science at Stanford University and Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution, served as the 66th Secretary of State of the United States from January 2005 to 2009. Before serving as America's chief diplomat, she served as assistant to the President for national security affairs from January 2001 to 2005.

Dr. Rice is a person of broad and deep accomplishment.  Her story has never before been told. Her latest book, Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family by Condoleezza Rice is due out in October. At various times she has excelled as an expert diplomat, brilliant political scientist and trained concert pianist. Her achievements run the gamut from helping to oversee the collapse of the Soviet Union, to working to protect the country in the aftermath of 9-11, to becoming only the second woman - and the first black woman - to serve as Secretary of State. Extraordinary, Ordinary People takes us not just through her childhood, but her twenties and thirties as she builds a record of achievement that positions her for involvement in world historical events. 

At a young age, Dr. Rice inherited a love and passion for sports from her father, both an educator and a coach.  She grew up in Alabama as a Cleveland Browns fan and shared an admiration with her father for coach Paul Brown and superstar player Jim Brown.  She continues to be an avid fan of the Cleveland Browns and follows the team weekly.

The Presidential Scholarship Luncheon benefits scholarships for Tri-C students. For more information, please call 216-987-4868. 

SOURCE Cuyahoga Community College