Community colleges rely heavily on donor support to develop and maintain their athletic programs, including facilities. The cost of building and sustaining athletic facilities can be significant and, like other community colleges, M State often faces budget constraints that make it challenging to adequately fund these facilities.
As a result, we rely on donors like you to provide the financial support needed to build and maintain quality facilities that support the athletic programs on M State’s Fergus Falls campus.
Currently, Fergus Area College Foundation has been asked to raise $150,000 needed for planned improvements to the M State softball and football fields, and we are seeking your support for these projects. Plans call for new fencing and dugouts for the softball fields, while the football program updates include irrigation (for game and practice fields), top dress which improves soil properties and creates a better growing environment, scoreboard, new goal posts and hydroseeding.
It’s important to remember that it’s not only the college that benefits from updated athletic fields. The M State fields are available for community events, summer camps and special programs, providing opportunities for people to be active and engaged with the college on many levels.
Specifically for the college, though, first-rate facilities – along with coaching and academic support – attract student athletes to community college athletics. Competing at the two-year college level can give students time to hone the skills that will allow them to compete at four-year colleges and can boost academic readiness for those who need extra support to excel in college. From community college, many go on to success in athletics and academics at four-year colleges and in their careers.
Ultimately, community college athletic programs play a vital role in developing young athletes and strengthening the ties between a college and its community. Your financial support is crucial for the growth and success of M State’s Fergus Falls campus and its student athletes.