The City of Salem has earned the 2010 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. Salem was nominated for the award by Virginia Western Community College. The award was given at a luncheon ceremony at the Country Club of Virginia on Tuesday, April 20.

The City of Salem was nominated for this award to highlight its unique partnership with the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation to offer free-tuition at Virginia Western to qualifying Salem High School students through the Salem Community College Access Program. The program began in 2008 as a pilot project and just this March the application process closed for the third prospective class of participants.

The Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy is hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) to honor the leading philanthropists from each of Virginia’s 23 community colleges as well as the system’s statewide foundation. This marks the fifth year the awards have been given.

This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has contributed a combined total of $10 million dollars to Virginia’s Community Colleges.

“These distinguished individuals are sharing with us their secrets to creating the opportunities of tomorrow. From their hearts, from their hands, from their experiences, they give of themselves. Along the way, they are elevating people’s lives by affording them hope and the opportunity of higher education. And we can never say thank you enough,” said Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges.

To further honor Salem, a scholarship, The City of Salem Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship, will be awarded next fall to a student attending Virginia Western. The scholarship is funded largely by the Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation.

Submitted by Erik W. Williams, Communications & Annual Giving Coordinator for Virginia Western Community College