News Article

FSW Dedicates ‘The Carl and Diana Grissom Community Room’ on Lee Campus

Mar 26, 2015

The Florida SouthWestern State College Foundation dedicated “The Carl and Diana Grissom Community Room” on the Thomas Edison (Lee) Campus on Tuesday, March 17.

The College dedicated AA-177, a multi-purpose room, in honor of Sanibel Island residents Carl and Diana Grissom after the couple made a generous gift to the FSW Foundation.

“The Foundation was very proud to accept the gift from the Grissoms to benefit the FSW Faculty Development Center, a place where our faculty can meet and share new ideas,” said Dr. Louis Traina, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at FSW.

“This gift will go a long way towards the continued education and development of our faculty. Everybody who comes here will be able to realize how much Carl means to this institution and how his generosity will go a long way,” said FSW President Jeff Allbritten.

Grissom, a Financial Representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, first moved to Lee County in 1979. Besides having served on the FSW Foundation Board of Directors since 2011, Grissom has consistently given to the College to benefit various academic programs.

“I have always believed in education,” said Grissom. “When you see progress and hear about the needs, you want to give because you know how it helps our community.”

He was particularly interested in Room AA-177 because the space is often used for educational panels, faculty meetings, and campus events. With the community room, he hopes to ensure that FSW graduates are highly-trained, creative, and possess the ability to strike up important relationships with others in the community.

“I can’t tell you how important those things mean to you in life,” said Grissom.

For more information about the FSW Foundation or how to make a gift, visit foundation.fsw.edu.

About Carl Grissom:

Carl Grissom graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University. In addition to writing about the act of giving in the past, he has also served as Past President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, Past President of the Planned Giving Council of Lee County, and Past President of the Lee County Estate Planning Council, and a Life and Qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Roundtable. Grissom is a certified Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Accredited Estate Planner (AEP), Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL), and in Long Term Care Planning (CLTC).

About the FSW Foundation:

Since 1966, the Florida SouthWestern State College Foundation has been enhancing the quality of higher education for FSW students and faculty. The FSW Foundation has awarded $1.2 million for student scholarships and $700,000 in academic support to the college annually since 2011. The Foundation’s focus is attracting and managing private contributions from individuals, organizations, businesses and other private foundations to support the college’s mission. To learn more about the non-profit, tax-exempt FSW Foundation or to make a gift, visit foundation.fsw.edu.

About FSW:

Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest and one of the most affordable institutions of higher education. Annually serving more than 22,000 students globally, FSW offers a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees, and professional certifications. Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests. FSW will debut its intercollegiate athletics program in the fall 2015. Visit www.FSW.edu for more information.

Last Updated: March 26, 2015