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QUEENSBURY, New York (April 9, 2021) — When Luke Tompkins graduates from ���Ĵ�ý this spring, he won’t be thousands of dollars in debt, thanks to the generosity of donors who support the ���Ĵ�ý Foundation’s annual fund.

“This has greatly lifted the financial burden and allowed me to prepare for my future education goals,” said Tompkins, a Finish-in-2 participant and scholarship recipient majoring in Liberal Arts & Humanities: Psychology.

You can help students like Tompkins by contributing to the $20,000 Challenge for ADK. Funded by an anonymous donor, the challenge, will match dollar for dollar, new, unrestricted donations of up to $20,000 received through May 6. 

Tompkins is one of hundreds of ���Ĵ�ý students who receive scholarships and participate in the Finish-in-2 program, which provides high-achieving students funding when they stay on track to earn an associate degree in two years and an additional stipend if they transfer to a bachelor’s program at a SUNY institution.

“We hope the generosity of our anonymous donor will inspire others to take advantage of this opportunity to double their gift,” said Marcell Mallette, chief advancement officer and executive director of the ���Ĵ�ý Foundation. “All funds raised through the challenge will provide an immediate impact for ���Ĵ�ý students.”

Gifts to the ���Ĵ�ý Fund provide direct support to students so they can achieve their academic goals. Unrestricted gifts have an immediate impact by providing access and affordability through scholarships for deserving students with unmet financial need; creating opportunities for success such as the Finish-In-2 incentive program that helps committed students earn their associate degree in two years; and, removing barriers to education with access to resources from SUNY ADK Cares, our student emergency fund.

The Challenge for ADK will be capped off with ADay4ADK, a 24-hour online giving event. Challenge donors have the option of making their gifts leading up to ADay4ADK, and the goal is to achieve (or exceed!) the $20,000 mark by midnight May 6 to secure the $20,000 match.

“If I were speaking to a donor who helped make my education possible, I would thank them for their kindness and generosity,” Tompkins said. “Especially in giving a seemingly random student a chance at bettering their life by taking some of the financial burdens off the pursuit of higher education.”

To make a donation, please visit /20Kchallenge.

About ���Ĵ�ý

���Ĵ�ý is a community college with a growing campus that is part of the nation’s largest university, the State University of New York. With locations in Queensbury, Glens Falls and Wilton, ���Ĵ�ý offers courses in person and online; on-campus housing at the Queensbury campus; and serves students via credit and continuing education programs.