Acclaimed Inventor Donates $2.5 Million to Howard Community College; Largest Gift in School History
13 Agosto 2024 - 9:26AM
Howard Community College (HCC) President Daria J. Willis joined
philanthropists Thomas P. Clement and Wonsook Kim to receive a $2.5
million donation from the family. The gift is the single-largest
contribution in the college’s history.
Clement, a renowned inventor and entrepreneur, and Kim, an
internationally awarded visual artist, will support faculty and
students in HCC’s Department of Engineering with scholarships,
equipment upgrades, and resources to build public and private
partnerships in the college’s interdisciplinary science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
programming.
“We are grateful to Thomas and Wonsook for such heartfelt and
timely support of our faculty and student scholars,” said Willis.
“We envision laboratories, learning spaces, and training
opportunities that will expand our community’s curiosity and
potential. I could not be more excited about our relationship with
this family and the long-term outcomes this gift will create.”
Clement is the Founder, President, and CEO of Acroventions
Laboratories and holds over 75 patents in surgical devices for
laparoscopic, cardiovascular, neurological, oncological, and
otolaryngologic procedures. Before earning baccalaureate degrees in
electrical engineering and psychology from Purdue University and
Indiana University, respectively, he began his studies at Berkshire
Community College in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He is on the board
of KoreanAmericanStory.org and the author of ‘Dust of the Streets,’
an autobiography.
Kim is an artist known for her figurative images in surreal
landscape painting. She earned a baccalaureate degree and master’s
degrees in arts and fine arts from Illinois State University and
was named ‘Artist of the Year’ in 1995 by the United Nations. Her
work has been showcased in over 100 exhibitions in 14
countries.
In 2019, The Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts was named in her
honor, the first college ever named in the United States after an
Asian woman.
“I am honored to support Howard Community College with a gift
that we think will be foundational for students achieving their
dreams here in Howard County,” Clement said. “I know firsthand the
value and nurturing that happens at community colleges, and we
believe that Dr. Willis’ vision for HCC’s future will expand that
value for many students in the years to come.”
Since Dr. Willis' appointment in 2021 as HCC's fifth president
and the first African American to serve in the role, the college
has secured its two largest donations in school history. In the
last six months, the college has raised more than $3.5 million in
major gifts, and more than $5 million in the last two years.
ABOUT HCC Since 1970, Howard Community College (HCC)
has been a preferred college choice for students and families in
Howard County, Maryland. A public community college, HCC offers
associate degree and certificate programs, as well as workforce
development training and continuing education classes, to nearly
22,000 credit and noncredit students each year. HCC received the
2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s only
presidential-level honor for performance excellence in
organizations.
- Acclaimed Inventor Donates $2.5 Million to Howard Community
College
- Acclaimed Inventor Donates $2.5 Million to Howard Community
College
Jarrett Carter
Howard Community College
443-518-1800
prmarketing@howardcc.edu