The Bellevue College Foundation has recently dedicated the Academic Success Center to highlight and commemorate the generosity of Stan and Michele Rosen.
Stan Rosen is currently serving as a board member on the Bellevue College Foundation’s team of trustees. This will be his third year in service. His generous donations to this college, in particular, stems from his early days as an academic in this campus.
The ceremony was held on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. The reception began in non-other than the Academic Success Center building, a location many students are doubtlessly very familiar with. Light conversation, pleasant music and a pleasant mood were all in tow to begin the recognition of these humble, yet outstanding individuals.
The first speaker to pay tribute was Dale King, one of the Board of Directors at Bellevue College. Rosen joined the Board of Directors in 2006, and was one of the first advocates of a seemingly far-fetched goal to reach seven million dollars for the foundation.
Now this was no small venture but thanks to the optimistic visions of all who worked to achieve this number, Bellevue still continues to remain one of the paramount public colleges in the state. During Dale’s gratitude speech to the couple he regarded them as “two shining lights and examples of how to effectively support the college.”
The next speaker was Interim President of Bellevue College, Laura Saunders, who shared her appreciation for knowing Stan both personally and professionally. She knew him personally as he has in the past shared with her priceless advice concerning Bellevue Real Estate. Professionally, she’s worked with him on the Bellevue College Board of Trustees and the BC Foundation.
“Thank you for being exemplar leaders in the community,” said Saunders, as she handed them a blue plaque entitled: “Stan and Michele Rosen Academic Success Center.”
Listed on the plaque were reminders of specific areas of his contributions to BC. The services the Success Center provides include academic tutoring, a math lab, a reading lab, and a writing lab.
He jokes that he was one of the first to utilize the four-years of education this school now provides, as it took him this long to receive his Associate’s in Arts due to frequent trips to Israel during that time.
He looks back on those years with delight and a sense of sentiment, as he truly believes Bellevue is special in its approach to education.
He recalls his period of enrollment at this college as wonderful years in which he received nothing short of quality teaching, even better than his experience at the University of Washington.
His favorite courses here ranged from anthropology to speech. Acknowledging this time as a crucial aspect of his own personal development, Stan always told himself that as soon as he was able, he would give back to this institution. We can all be grateful he kept that promise.