Remembering RCC’s first president, Henry Pete

Henry Pete recognized an incredible opportunity — for himself, but especially for the community — when he accepted the role of Rogue Community College’s first president in 1971. “It is not often in a person’s career that he has the opportunity to participate from the beginning in building an institution that is going to have the impact on an area that this new college will...

Wiseman had a heart of gold

The Wiseman Center, home to the Redwood Campus library, is named in honor of Lillian Alicia Wiseman, who lived from 1895 to 1983. In 1973, the retired seamstress gave an anonymous gift of $10,000 to Rogue Community College. She’d never even stepped on campus. She just wanted to help future students. This Jan. 12, 1977 article from the Grants Pass Daily Courier tells her inspiring...

Honoring an original: RCC founder Midge Renton reflects on then and now

Midge Renton is a familiar face around town. The retired teacher and elementary school principal is often greeted with smiles from former students in the grocery store or local shops. “Mrs. Renton, do you remember me?” And quite often, she does. Thousands of working adults in Grants Pass were once under the watchful care of beloved Mrs. Renton. And they have much to thank her...

SOREDI director named 2020 Outstanding Alum

Where were you in 1999? While the world partied Prince-style and braced for Y2K, Colleen Padilla was graduating from RCC as Business Student of the Year. Now two decades later, she’s receiving another distinguished honor—the 2020 RCC Outstanding Alumni Award, granted by the RCC Foundation. As executive director of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI), Colleen is a champion for launching and growing prosperous...

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Asante continues support for RCC Health Professions Center

Asante recently donated $200,000 for the purchase of equipment for the Rogue Community College Health Professions Center, which is currently under construction at the RCC Table Rock Campus. This is in addition to Asante’s original $250,000 gift toward building construction. This totals $450,000 in support for health profession education at RCC. Judy Basker, executive director of the RCC Foundation, said, “We are so grateful to our community...

Outstanding Alums found love, ambitious career paths at RCC

Each year, the RCC Foundation honors a distinguished former graduate with the RCC Outstanding Alumni Award. This recognition is granted to a person who has completed a certificate or degree from RCC and has achieved notable success in either their chosen profession or society betterment. The Outstanding Alum is selected from a pool of candidates nominated by members of the local business and philanthropic community....

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RCC Foundation News

The RCC Foundation Welcomes new Board Members Medford Attorney Nick Naumes is with the firm of Frohnmayer, Deatherage et al. As a graduate of RCC, and a veteran, he has experience that makes him a great asset. A fifth generation native of the Rogue Valley, he served in the US Navy for five years. Mr. Naumes received a certificate from the RCC Reserve Officer Law...

RCC Foundation helps student get a bead on welding

The RCC Foundation provides scholarships and inspiration to hundreds of students every year. For many of them, their path is not possible without the Foundation. Michelle Markus, a welding student, is one example. Michelle loves welding. On the surface, it might seem a strange career choice for a female, but get to know Michelle and you’ll soon discover it’s the perfect trade for her. She...

A play’s the thing for new arts fund

A group of students enrolled in Rogue Community College’s adult basic skills classes recently caught their first act at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival thanks to a new fund set up to introduce ABE/GED students to the performing arts. The Dorothy Emily de Lyon Arts Fund was established with the RCC Foundation in December 2018 by Kiersta Fricke-Gostnell, chair of the RCC Adult Basic Skills department,...