Yajko receives Colorado’s top ‘philanthropy professional’ award
Since 1991, Colorado Mountain College Foundation CEO Alexandra Yajko has worked tirelessly to bring financial support to Colorado Mountain College.
It’s worked. Under Yajko’s guidance, the foundation has generated more than $25 million in giving from individuals, corporations and foundations. Those dollars in turn have funded capital campaigns, educational enrichment programs, scholarships and fellowships throughout the college’s 12,000-square-mile service area.
Yajko has spent nearly 20 years discovering and acknowledging Colorado Mountain College’s donors. Now her peers believe it’s time to acknowledge Yajko.
On Nov. 13, she was honored at a special National Philanthropy Day awards ceremony in Denver when she received the Outstanding Professional in Philanthropy award. The awards are offered through a partnership of nonprofit professional and community organizations representing nonprofits throughout Colorado.
Celebrations take place across the country to pay tribute to those active in both giving to and managing the philanthropic community. Ceremonies were held in many states; an estimated 1,000 people took part in the Denver event.
A select honor
Yajko is one of only 10 honorees this year – individuals, corporations and foundations in Colorado chosen by a selection committee of more than 50 professionals to receive recognition because of their exemplary efforts. She was the sole award recipient within her category, as Outstanding Professional in Philanthropy.
Yajko’s philanthropic efforts have raised considerable sums of money, which in turn has benefited thousands of Colorado Mountain College students.
“Because of her leadership with CMC’s nursing program alone, she made it financially possible for people to become nurses,” said Deb Wiepking, chief clinical officer at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, speaking of Yajko’s coordination of nursing scholarships at the college. “Count their patients and families, and we are speaking about thousands (of people).”
A true understanding
Yajko arrived in the United States with her family via New York in 1970, a 16-year-old Polish political and religious refugee. She had few funds and only rudimentary English-language skills. She moved to Colorado’s Western Slope in 1977.
It’s her background as a young Polish immigrant that intimately prepared Yajko to have a deep understanding of philanthropy – and of the opportunity to give back – in a free, open society.
“America is the place where opportunities abound,” said Yajko. “If you work hard, you can realize your dreams, whatever they may be.”
A few of Alexandra Yajko’s achievements
Colorado Mountain College Foundation CEO Alexandra Yajko has achieved much during her nearly 20 years at the helm of the college’s philanthropic efforts. Among her successes, Yajko:
• Fostered a gift of $3 million from EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) for the college’s West Garfield Campus in Rifle. EnCana’s gift was matched by an additional $3 million from other funders to complete construction of the campus, which opened in 2007.
• Oversaw the implementation of the Genevieve Clough Fellowship Program, which provides generous funding for west Garfield County students to attend CMC and other Colorado colleges, universities and trade schools based on need and desire, and not grade point average. The multimillion-dollar program provides funds to both CMC and the Western Colorado Community Foundation.
• Secured a donation of $1 million from the Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation for the Climax Molybdenum Leadership Center, an environmental leadership and outdoor recreation center now under construction at the college’s campus in Leadville.
• Organized capital campaigns for the Vail-Eagle Valley Campus in Edwards, the Chaffee County Academic Center in Buena Vista, the Aspen Campus and the Roaring Fork Campus’s Spring Valley Center.
• Established a foundation scholarship network, which includes more than 75 scholarship programs currently meeting the financial needs of close to 300 students throughout Colorado Mountain College.
• Oversaw a $2 million capital campaign to build a new Colorado Mountain College site in Breckenridge, securing $100,000 from Copper Mountain Resort, more than $30,000 from Wells Fargo, and well over $75,000 from the Anschutz and Boettcher foundations, among others. The facility’s grand opening was held in August 2009.
View the slide show of the luncheon.
Watch Alex’s National Philanthropy Day Award video:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS_oyk7iYek&hl=en_US&fs=1&]