Foundation Honors Bosch with Philanthropist of the Year Award

PENDLETON, SC –  The Tri-County Technical College Foundation named Robert Bosch LLC in Anderson the 2014 recipient of its Philanthropist of the Year award.

This is the Foundation’s highest and most prestigious honor reserved for individuals, foundations, companies, trusts, organizations or other entities that have made a significant financial contribution, either cash or non-cash, to the Foundation to support the work of the College.

Grayson Kelly, executive director of the Foundation, presented the award to Randy Bunch, director of human resources at the Bosch Anderson plant.  The presentation was made at the College’s Annual Report Luncheon.  “Receiving this award is a distinct honor for Bosch,” Bunch said.  “Bosch appreciates the relationship we have developed with Tri-County and what the College has given us in terms of support, education, training and graduates.  Our collaborative efforts have impacted individuals, business and the community, thereby making life better for us all.”

Grayson Kelly, executive director of the Foundation, third from left, presented the award to Randy Bunch, director of human resources at the Bosch Anderson plant, second from left. Pictured with them are, from left, Dr. Trish Hayner, Bosch Production Systems (BPS) manager, and A.B. Young, human resources manager. The presentation was made at the College’s Annual Report Luncheon.

Investing in education to advance innovation and protect the environment is a hallmark of Bosch.  The Bosch Anderson site has been a loyal donor to the Tri-County Technical College Foundation beginning in 1988 when it made an initial gift of $1,000 to the Industrial and Business Development Center, the home of the Corporate and Community Education Division.

Since then, the company has given a total of $241,160 and is recognized on the College’s prestigious Wall of Honor.

This past April, the Bosch Anderson plant and the Bosch Community Fund (BCF), a U.S.-based foundation, awarded a $100,000 grant to Tri-County to support the Mechatronics and Industrial Electronics Technology programs. The funds will upgrade equipment, provide additional laboratory sections and allow the hiring of adjunct faculty for these expanded laboratories to give more personal attention to students. This grant is enabling the College to further engage students and help develop a technical workforce.  In return, the College has renamed the labs, the Robert Bosch Mechatronics Lab and the Robert Bosch Industrial Electronics Technology Lab, respectively.

The Bosch Anderson plant has been a great partner to the College in support of the Bosch Technical Scholars Program.  This new partnership is an answer to supplying industry with a pipeline of qualified technicians.  Qualified evening students are targeted in their last semester.  The intense, four-month Technical Scholars Program is designed to give students a real, on-the-job experience that complements what they are learning in the classroom. During their last semester, the Scholars, who are chosen for the program, are hired to work full-time during the day at Bosch while they continue their studies in the evening.  They receive more than 300 hours of mentor training and 200 hours of classroom/lab training.  The students graduate with a degree and move directly into a technical position at Bosch.

Bosch made its first major gift to Tri-County in February 1997 when the company pledged $30,000 to establish the Robert Bosch Teaching Chair.  This endowment was fulfilled in 1999 and supports the professional development of faculty in the Engineering and Industrial Technology Division.  The company made another significant $30,000 pledge in 2003 to establish the Robert Bosch Corporation Technology Endowment.  This endowment provides the College with funds to purchase equipment needed for student laboratories.  Additionally, Bosch has supported the College by contributing funds for many robotics tournaments and summer camps, as well as donating in-kind gifts of equipment.