UKIAH, Calif. – On Monday, March 4, the Mendocino College Foundation Board of Directors honored emeritus directors, trustees and faculty during their annual luncheon.

“Every year the foundation invites emeritus members of the foundation and college boards to a luncheon as a way to keep them informed about what’s happening at the college and to simply say, ‘thank you’ for their years of dedicated service to students and the college community,” stated Foundation President Gary Smith.

For the first time, emeritus faculty members were invited to this year’s event which was attended by over 50 people, including several current Mendocino College trustees.

Among this year’s guests were former college presidents Leroy Lowery and Carl Ehmann and current Superintendent/President Arturo Reyes.

Lowery was president from 1980-1990 and Ehmann served from 1990-2001. President Reyes has been at the helm for a little over two months.

This year marks the college’s 40th anniversary, and the three presidents represented more than 21 years of Mendocino College leadership.

Attendees learned about the new Library/Learning Center and had the opportunity to hear from two scholarship recipients.

Jason Cox, a nursing student, will graduate this May and had received the Karen L. Atkinson Nursing Scholarship.

Dafne Valdez, an Eisenhower Fellowship recipient and Foundation Scholarship recipient, discussed her plans to transfer next Fall to UC Berkeley.

Both students thanked the attendees for their support and stewardship of the foundation’s endowment which provides over $160,000 annually in the form of student scholarships.

The luncheon was graciously underwritten by Foundation Board member and long-time local Realtor Gary Nix.

For more information about the Mendocino College Foundation or to donate towards the scholarship program, call 707-467-1018 or visit http://foundation.mendocino.edu .