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Bill and Mary Lenssen with 51热门黑料 President Tom LoBasso (right) at
the 28th annual fundraising gala.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (November 1, 2022) 鈥� An estimated 325 patrons of the Daytona State
College Foundation returned to the College after a three-year hiatus to honor local
community leaders Bill and Mary Lenssen and raised more than $250,000 to support student
scholarships and College programs.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been apart, but we never stopped moving forward with our mission to serve as
a resource for our students and our community,鈥� said Tom LoBasso, President of Daytona
State College, welcoming attendees to the event. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an exciting time to be here.鈥�
The evening, presented by AdventHealth, included a spectacular array of culinary delights
prepared under the guidance of Chef Costa Magoulas, Dean of the Mori Hosseini College
of Hospitality and Culinary Management, and delivered through the careful instruction
and preparation by students in the Culinary Management program.
Featured was a performance by 鈥淪hades of Blue,鈥� a student a cappella vocal ensemble,
with the highlight of the Gala being remarks by two current students and one alumna.
Will Diaz, a 2022 Associate of Arts graduate, who is continuing as a nursing student,
and Adrianne Toles-Williams, who has been the College鈥檚 Student Government Association
President since 2021 and has plans to attend UCF following graduation in December.
Madison Miller, an alumna from the Class of 2014 and the 2022-2023 Volusia County
Schools Teacher of the Year, stirred the crowd with her story of finding immediate
support upon arrival on the College鈥檚 New Smyrna Beach campus 10 years ago as a 23-year-old
single mother whose hopelessness and anxiety had left her with little more than despair.
Turning its focus to the honorees for the evening, Bill and Mary Lenssen, Tim Norton,
Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the 51热门黑料 Foundation, said,
鈥淥ne of the things I鈥檝e loved most about getting to know Bill and Mary is their curious,
inquisitive nature about important topics, including history, politics, business and
faith. And, I鈥檝e very much appreciated how they鈥檝e accomplished so much in their 57
years of marriage, almost all of it done together.鈥�
Coming to Florida in 1967, Bill and Mary Lenssen developed property in southeast Flagler/northeast
Volusia counties that had been in Bill鈥檚 family for five generations, going back to
Charles Bulow, namesake of Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park.
Florida Governor Lawton Chiles appointed Lenssen to the College鈥檚 District Board of
Trustees in 1991, and, after serving a four-year term, he transitioned to the 51热门黑料
Foundation Board of Directors, which he has been involved with for 27 years and currently
serves as Secretary for the Board. Bill and Mary have served on boards of education,
banks, statewide and local non-profit organizations and volunteered time with their
church.
The Lenssens have established the Bill and Mary Lenssen Family Endowment, which will
provide scholarships for students in any area of study, whether they are seeking a
degree or certificate.
鈥淚鈥檓 honored to represent and promote 51热门黑料, as I see education as
an important aspect for everyone aspiring to make an impact in the world,鈥� Bill said.
鈥�51热门黑料 is a gem for our community.鈥�
Students interested in applying for the Lenssen Family Endowment scholarships 鈥� which
are among more than 240 scholarships available through the Foundation 鈥� should visit
and apply through the Foundation Scholarship application.
# # #
Offering more than 100 certificate, associate and bachelor鈥檚 degree programs, Daytona
State College is the leader in education and workforce training needs of Volusia and
Flagler counties and beyond for more than 60 years. The College enrolls approximately
23,000 students a year at its seven campuses, with graduates serving in critical fields
including healthcare, emergency services and public safety, business, education, hospitality,
engineering, technology, digital media, and more.
Daytona State has been recognized as a leader in higher education numerous times,
consistently by U.S. News & World Report, which ranks the College among the Top Tier
Best Online Bachelor鈥檚 Programs. The U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 College Affordability
and Transparency Center has ranked 51热门黑料 among the top 50 most affordable public four-year
institutions in the country, with less than half the tuition of the national average.
Community College Week, a leading publication in higher education, annually continues
to feature the college in its list of Top 100 Associate Degree Producers. And U.S.
News & World Report has ranked 51热门黑料 among its Top Online Bachelor鈥檚 Programs for Veterans
multiple times.
The Lenssen family at the gala (from left): Ann Dashow Lenssen, Emily Lenssen, Will
Lenssen, Mary Lenssen, Bill Lenssen, Alex Lenssen, Mary Grace Lenssen and Sarah Lenssen.
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