DCC Foundation Executive Director Nominated for Athena Award

Release date: July 28, 2008

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – Patricia L. Prunty, executive director of the Dutchess Community College Foundation and the College’s Office of Institutional Advancement, has been nominated for the 2008 Athena Award.

The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation gives the award annually to someone who provides guidance, mentoring, and encouragement to women while working or volunteering in Dutchess County.

"It is an honor to be nominated for the prestigious Athena Award,” said Prunty. “I am pleased to be recognized for my dedication to nonprofit work and my continuing commitment to helping young women and girls succeed."

Prunty has held her position at DCC for six years. The Pleasant Valley resident has more than 20 years in the fundraising field, including experience at Bard College, Poughkeepsie Day School, and the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill.

The history of the Athena Award dates back to the early 1980s when Michigan businesswoman Martha Mertz was asked to serve on the board of directors for her local chamber of commerce. She observed the small number of women who had either served on, or were honored by, the chamber board. Her actions to push her board to honor the leadership of businesswomen prompted the creation of the Athena Award in 1982. Twenty five years later, more than 5,000 people receive the Athena Award annually in the United States, China, Canada, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

The 2008 award will be the third presented by the Chamber. The 2007 winner was a member of the DCC faculty, Susan LaFosse. This year’s winner will be announced in December at a brunch sponsored by Saint Francis Hospital and Health Centers.

For more information, call Patricia Prunty at 845-431-8400.

Founded in 1957, Dutchess Community College is a two-year community college with more than 50 years of service to the residents of Dutchess County. It is part of the State University of New York and is one of 30 community colleges in the state system. The College offers a wide variety of associate degree programs, as well as career programs in major technical, human service and business areas. The College also offers non-credit courses through its Office of Community Services to meet the continuing education needs of civic, cultural, business and professional groups and the community at large. The main campus is at 53 Pendell Road in Poughkeepsie, while the Dutchess South extension site is in Hollowbrook Park, Building #4 at 31 Marshall Road in Wappingers Falls.

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