Honoring a Legacy of Leadership

The Merced College Foundation makes a critical difference in the academic lives of thousands of students every year. Private support is essential for Merced College to continue to thrive and prepare our students for the ever growing workforce needs of Merced County.

Donor Levels

Here is a description of each donor level for our State of the College Event. Please see above for link to buy tickets.

Gold — $10,000

– One-time scholarship in your name to support student success in Fall of 2024
– 3 tables of 8 at the event
– Full page advertisement in program
– Name and logo on screen during event
– Recognition on website as sponsor
– 10 social media mentions

Silver — $5,000

– 2 tables of 8 at the event
– ½ page advertisement in program
– Name and logo on screen during event
– Recognition on website as sponsor
– 6 social media mentions

Bronze — $2,500

– 1 table of 8 at the event
– ¼ page advertisement in program
– Name and logo on screen during event
– Recognition on website as sponsor
– 3 social media mentions

Additional Options

Table for 8: $800

Individual seats: $100

In tribute to a storied career that helped shape the fabric of higher education in the Central Valley,
the Merced Community College District Board of Trustees voted in December to rename Merced College’s Business Resource Center after President Emeritus Dr. Ben Duran.

Established in 2008, during Duran’s tenure as president, the Business Resource Center revitalized
and enhanced relationships between the college and the business community, leading to partnerships that have created countless opportunities for local students and workers to gain valuable skills, knowledge and training to advance their careers. It will now be named the Dr. Benjamin T. Duran Business Resource Center.

The son of migrant farmworkers in Le Grand, Duran built a distinguished life and career devoted to education. He served for nearly 14 years as Merced College’s president before retiring in 2012, and is now executive director of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC).

During Duran’s time as president, Merced College’s student enrollment increased by thousands, and the district passed vital bond measures that led to new and renovated buildings at both the Merced and Los Banos campuses, including the Business Resource Center.

“This honor, from my perspective, is a recognition of the many others who worked side-by-side with me over all those years to make Merced College and the region better,” Duran said. “The existence of the Business Resource Center is a testament to the importance of community colleges not only to students, but to the business community. We were able to elevate the interactions between businesses and the college to the point where it truly became a partnership.”

After being approached by the college regarding the naming of the Business Resource Center, Duran and his wife, former Merced City School District Superintendent Dr. RoseMary Parga Duran, decided to make a gift to Merced College of $100,000 to support programs and services related to economic and workforce development in the region.

Thank you

For more information, please contact Amber Norris at 209-386-6689 or email at amber.norris@mccd.edu

BRC pic