Anne Calder, Quad Cities Community Foundation; Maria Ontiveros; Jon Looney, BHC Board of Trustees; and Tim Wynes, BHC President
Black Hawk College is excited to announce that it has received a $1 million gift from BHC alumni Bob and Blenda Ontiveros.
The donation comes to the college from the Bob and Blenda Ontiveros Fund at the Quad Cities Community Foundation.
It is the largest monetary gift ever donated to the Black Hawk College Quad-Cities Foundation.
“With this gift, the largest in the foundation’s history, we set a new course of giving students a hand up in pursuing their dreams at Black Hawk College,” said Tim Wynes, BHC president.
Maria Ontiveros spoke on behalf of her grandparents at a Feb. 18 news conference announcing the gift.
Quoting her grandfather, “Everyone wins when someone gets an opportunity,” she said.
“We win because of the opportunities provided here at Black Hawk,” Ontiveros added. “I look forward to seeing how the seeds planted here today grow.”
The $1 million will be used as follows:
- $600,000 to endow funding for a position in Student Services dedicated full-time to working with students from diverse backgrounds, and first-generation students from those backgrounds interested in entrepreneurship and business. This person will guide those students throughout their time at Black Hawk College, including setting up internships and mentoring and other development opportunities.
- $150,000 for endowed scholarships for entering students.
- $200,000 for endowed scholarships for athletes at Black Hawk College, with an emphasis on baseball and soccer.
- $50,000 to start up a men’s and women’s soccer program and hire a coach-athletic student advisor (not endowed).
The scholarships are in addition to the Robert and Blenda Ontiveros Family Foundation Scholarship through the BHC QC Foundation. That scholarship is for Hispanic students who maintain a 3.0 GPA, with emphasis given to students studying health care, sciences or technology.
“As Black Hawk College alumni, they built their lives and careers in the Quad Cities – Bob in building Group O into a worldwide company and Blenda as a nurse,” Wynes said. “They became community leaders who put their considerable resources back into their community.
“Bob and Blenda Ontiveros represent the best of the Quad Cities,” he said.
Media coverage:
- WVIK – BHC Receives Largest Gift Ever
- WHBF – BHC receives the largest monetary donation of $1 million from alumni Bob and Blenda Ontiverous
- Hola America – BHC receives $1 million gift from alumni Bob, Blenda Ontiveros
- Dispatch/Argus – Black Hawk College receives $1 million donation to fund scholarships, sports
- WRMJ – BHC Receives $1-Million Gift From Alumni Bob, Blenda Ontiveros
- WQAD – Black Hawk College gets $1 million donation
- KWQC – Black Hawk College receives $1 million gift from alumni
- Group O – Group O Founders Donate $1M to Black Hawk College