Gadsden State Cardinal Foundation

10/05/2026

10/03/2026

✨ Celebrating the Businesses That Help Our Students Soar!

A strong community is built by people and businesses who believe in investing in what comes next. That’s why we’re excited to recognize Ira Phillips Inc. for their generous sponsorship of the 2026 Cardinal Gala: Igniting Futures – Lighting the Path to Student Success.

Their support helps the Cardinal Foundation turn generosity into opportunity—providing resources that help Gadsden State students navigate challenges, stay in school, and continue working toward their goals.

We’re grateful to Ira Phillips Inc. for being part of this celebration and for helping make a lasting impact on the lives of our students.

Thank you for helping us ignite futures at Gadsden State! ❤️

10/02/2026

✨ This is what community looks like. ✨

A successful Cardinal Gala takes more than a great evening—it takes businesses and organizations willing to step up and invest in the future of our students.

We’re especially grateful to River Bank & Trust for doing just that as a sponsor of the 2026 Cardinal Gala: Igniting Futures – Lighting the Path to Student Success.

Their support helps turn a night of celebration into something much bigger: scholarships, emergency assistance, and meaningful opportunities for Gadsden State students.

River Bank & Trust, thank you for helping us celebrate our Cardinals while making an investment that will continue to make a difference long after the gala lights go down. ❤️

10/02/2026

🥤❤️ Thank You to Buffalo Rock! ❤️🥤

The Cardinal Foundation is proud to give a BIG thank you to Buffalo Rock for their generous sponsorship of the 2026 Cardinal Gala: Igniting Futures – Lighting the Path to Student Success!

Buffalo Rock has a long-standing tradition of supporting the communities they serve, and we are grateful to have their partnership in supporting the students of Gadsden State Community College.

Because of sponsors like Buffalo Rock, proceeds from the Cardinal Gala can help provide scholarships, emergency assistance, and opportunities that make it possible for students to stay in school and pursue their goals.

10/01/2026

🖤 Community Partners Make a Difference!

The Cardinal Foundation is grateful to Emblem Credit Union for being a proud sponsor of the 2026 Cardinal Gala: Igniting Futures – Lighting the Path to Student Success.

Supporting Gadsden State means investing in the future of our community, and Emblem Credit Union continues to demonstrate what it looks like when local organizations come together to create opportunities for students.

Their sponsorship helps make it possible for the Cardinal Foundation to provide scholarships, emergency assistance, and resources that help students overcome obstacles and keep moving toward their goals.

We appreciate Emblem Credit Union for believing in our students, supporting Gadsden State, and helping us build a stronger future—one Cardinal at a time. ❤️

Thank you for being part of the Cardinal family!

09/30/2026

📚✨ A Heartfelt Thank You to Barnes & Noble! ✨📚

The Cardinal Foundation is grateful to Barnes & Noble Booksellers, our valued campus bookstore provider, for sponsoring the 2026 Cardinal Gala: Igniting Futures – Lighting the Path to Student Success! ❤️

Their partnership goes far beyond providing textbooks and resources for our students.

We are thankful for Barnes & Noble’s partnership with Gadsden State and their commitment to helping our students succeed. Your support helps us ignite futures and light the path to student success! 🔥💡

09/30/2026

The Cardinal Foundation is excited to support Gadsden State Community College as we administer the 2026 Campus Improvement Grant that will help expand and modernize facilities supporting the Valley Street Campus. We are proud to help connect resources with opportunities that make a lasting difference for our students, our programs and the communities Gadsden State serves. This grant is another great example of what can happen when Gadsden State and the Cardinal Foundation work together to invest in the future of our students.

Big news for Gadsden State’s Valley Street Campus!

Gadsden State has received a $200,000 grant through The Home Depot’s Retool Your School program to support improvements at Valley Street, a campus with a proud HBCU legacy and a long history of serving our community.

Gadsden State representatives Ricky Tillis, director of the Valley Street Campus; Alan Smith, president of Gadsden State Community College; and Tony Smith, president of the Cardinal Foundation Board, recently traveled to Atlanta to celebrate the award and accept the grant.

The funding will help enhance campus facilities and create additional space to support students, instruction and community engagement.

Read more on the Gadsden State website.

09/28/2026

🫶 Some partnerships go beyond sponsorship—they become part of who you are.

Today, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to the City of Gadsden for being a proud sponsor of the 2026 Cardinal Gala and, more importantly, for the unwavering support you continue to show the Cardinal Foundation and Gadsden State Community College.

Your commitment to our students, our college and our community has helped create opportunities that reach far beyond the classroom. From scholarships and student support to workforce development and the growth of our community, your partnership continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people we serve. 🎓✨

We are incredibly grateful for a community that believes in the power of education and understands that when our students succeed, Gadsden succeeds.

Thank you, City of Gadsden, for standing with us, believing in our mission and helping us Ignite Futures – Lighting the Path to Student Success. 🔥

And to the businesses, organizations and community leaders who are considering sponsorship: We invite you to join us.

📅 October 8, 2026 | 6 p.m.
📍 The Venue at Coosa Landing

Together, we’re investing in the students who will help shape Gadsden’s future. ❤️

09/27/2026

🤝 When our community comes together, everyone moves forward! ❤️

We’re proud to recognize the Etowah Chamber of Commerce as a sponsor of the 2026 Cardinal Gala! Their commitment to strengthening local businesses and our community makes them a natural partner in our mission to create more opportunities for Gadsden State students.

This sponsorship is more than putting a name on an event—it’s an investment in students, scholarships and the future workforce of our region. 🎓✨

Now, we want YOU to be part of it! Businesses and organizations across our community still have an opportunity to become a Cardinal Gala sponsor. Your sponsorship directly helps the Cardinal Foundation provide resources and opportunities that can make a lasting difference in a student’s journey.

http://weblink.donorperfect.com/CardinalGala26

📣 Don’t just attend the celebration—help make the celebration possible!
Become a sponsor and stand alongside the Etowah Chamber of Commerce in supporting the next generation of Cardinals.

📅 October 8, 2026 | 6 p.m.
📍 The Venue at Coosa Landing

Sponsor. Support. Celebrate. Together, we’re Igniting Futures – Lighting the Path to Student Success! 🔥🎓