NCC Alumni Association is Golden

Northampton Community College (NCC) alumni turned out in force on October 10 to celebrate the NCC Alumni Association’s 50th anniversary. Festivities included a reception and dinner, wine pull, silent auction, live music, and, of course, alumni memories. 

During the anniversary celebration, JoAnn Thompson-Kostenbader ’69 shared that her father sold his farmland to be the future site of NCC because he wanted it to make a lasting impact on his community. College Center, often considered the hub of student activity at the Bethlehem campus, is situated on his farm parcel.  

College administrators quickly realized that Thompson-Kostenbader’s father was on to something. When NCC first opened its doors in 1967, 846 students arrived to start classes – over double the expected 404 who formally enrolled.   

A short eight years after those first students stepped onto campus, Susan Kubik Scott, now retired vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the NCC Foundation, founded the NCACC Alumni Council. Collaborating with Student Senate members Vince Brunetti ’73 (now deceased), Jim Williams ’74, and Denise McCall ’75, to name a few, the Council engaged current students and recent alumni to form an organization that would provide significant benefits to alumni, students, and the College. Now with 60,000 members strong, NCC’s Alumni Association is one of the oldest continuously active community college alumni associations in the country.  

David A. Ruth, Ph.D., president of NCC, called the 50th anniversary “a true testament to all of our alumni and your energy and enduring commitment to the College.”  

That energy and enduring commitment are responsible for the Alumni Association’s success in creating strong community ties and supporting the College’s mission and strategic plans. Association members nurture future talent by engaging with students through a variety of career development initiatives, support students annually with scholarships and internship funds, and contribute to the College’s areas of greatest need with annual financial gifts.  

Williams recalls that those first association members were “thrilled” when they finally raised $1,000 to give to the College. To date, the Alumni Association has now raised and contributed more than a half million dollars to the NCC Foundation. 

And it shows no signs of slowing down. Proceeds from the anniversary event will help to establish two new endowed funds: the Alumni Association Internship Stipend Fund for students who seek an internship but are unable to accept an unpaid position and the Executive-in-Residence Scholarship Fund, a $1,000 annual scholarship presented to a deserving student with financial need, which was awarded for the first time this year. Additionally, alumni contributions have established the Fueling Minds Food Pantry Endowment, which will help maintain NCC’s food pantries across all three campuses. 

That kind of dedication, says Madeline Falcone ’10, a communication studies graduate and member of the Alumni Board since 2018, is what makes the Alumni Association so special. 

“A vibrant Alumni Association celebrating 50 years is an incredible achievement,” says Falcone, who is senior director of events and engagement for United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley.  

“Our Alumni Association has dedicated volunteers and partners who are consistently focused on improving the financial stability and future for our students. I’m excited, and proud, to be a small part in ensuring NCC students find success.” 

Tim Jackson ’13, also a communication studies graduate and Board member and general manager for Sodexo at NCC, agrees: “NCC gave me an education, a career, and a future. It’s only fair that I give back to NCC in whatever way I’m able.” 

For Jackson, it’s also inspiring to see the association’s legacy in action, particularly with longstanding emeriti members of the Board. 

Cynthia Staffieri Workman ’74, for example, is a tireless advocate for NCC, earning the Alumni Association’s Service in the Community Award in 2007. A registered dental hygienist at Rinaldi Family Dentistry in Bangor, Pa., Staffieri Workman seizes every opportunity to tout the benefits of an NCC education.  

At NCC, she was class president and is still instrumental in organizing reunions for the Class of 1974. Before attaining emerita status, she served as fundraising chair, vice chair, and chair. Professionally, she serves in various capacities for the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’ Association.  

“Currently having emerita status, I still am on the Alumni Board and love every minute of being involved with raising money for scholarships and encouraging my patients to consider an education at NCC,” says Staffieri Workman. “The friendships formed from our Alumni Board and our college days are priceless!” 

In addition to sharing memories, the anniversary celebration featured a wine pull and silent auction. For $20, participants chose a numbered cork that matched a mystery bottle of wine worth $20 or more. Money raised from the pull benefits student scholarships, internship awards, and food pantry needs. The silent auction included items from Action Karate, DaVinci Science Center, Hampton Winds, NCC, Crayola, Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub & Whiskey Bar, Kalahari Resort, and Cactus Blue. 

The anniversary celebration was made possible by the following sponsors: 

Gold Dinner Sponsor 

• Goldfish Swim School 

Silver Reception Sponsors 

• Chestnut Hill Dental 

• Bruce Palmer ’77  

• Alexandria Manor Senior Living Centers
   
• MIAC Analytics 

Bronze Wine Sponsors 

• Integrity Research Trial Management – Eileen Taff ’88  

• William R. Rowe III’13 

Sapphire Music Sponsors 

• MKSD Architects 

• Karen and Bill Glose