Kansas City Kansas Community College has announced a $10,000 contribution from the Spencer C. Duncan Make It Count Foundation to be used to help veteran students purchase tool kits for their technical programs.
More than 50 percent of KCKCC’s technical programs require the purchase of a toolkit. The toolkits have the necessary tools for each specific program and are the students to keep after they graduate and enter their career field. Currently, the college has approximately 80 military-affiliated students in certificate programs. The scholarship will help more than 40 students with the purchase of these toolkits.
“The ‘Make it Count’ donation will put our veterans attending KCKCC in position to produce and contribute on their first day of work,” said Rich Piper, director of technical programs at KCKCC. “Having the tools to build homes, repair vehicles, install heating and cooling units and design and fabricate parts (plus so much more) will give our veterans a sense of pride and purpose as they are developing into the best skilled person in the business or organization. With the goal of making a self-sustaining wage for themselves and providing for their families, the dollars invested through donations will make a significant impact on our students, their families and our community.”
KCKCC has been designated a military-friendly institution and offers a variety of veteran and military-affiliated services for students through the Military and Veterans Center.
The Spencer C. Duncan Make It Count Foundation was founded in honor of Army Specialist Spencer C. Duncan who was killed in action in 2011. It is the foundation’s desire to honor that spirit of sacrifice and give back to veterans and their families. Donations are used for scholarships, entrepreneurship programs, seminars and meeting the physical needs of veterans. The foundation continues to be generous to colleges and other organizations in the Kansas City area that are focused on helping veterans with the cost of attending college.
