On Friday, June 22, DENSO in Athens received the State of Tennessee Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. Nominations for the award came from Cleveland State Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Athens. The award was not only for monetary donations, but for community involvement and volunteerism.
Upon receiving the award, the announcement speech recognized several accomplishments.
“What is really special about DENSO is the investment of their staff who have been diligent participants in our programs and activities. Their employees are consistently engaged in our Business Advisory Council as well as our Advanced Technologies Advisory Council. Their input has helped shape credit and non-credit programs that are making Cleveland State a regional leader in workforce and economic development. Their support of the Mechatronics Honors Institute is a natural progression of the many co-op and internship opportunities they have provided our students over the years.
Additionally, DENSO employees regularly participate in our annual Career Fairs and their HR staff have often served in interview panels we offer. They provide support for judging and advising our students and are regularly involved in our STEM Camps for area youth. They serve as guest speakers in our classes and they often provide tours of their plant for our students. Simply, DENSO employees are ‘all-in’ when it comes to supporting the educational needs of our students.”
Hugh Cantrell, director of North America Human Resources, accepted the award on behalf of DENSO.
About the Award
Excellence in Philanthropy Awards recognition program is comprised of two awards – the Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. The awards were created to honor the individuals, companies, and organizations who continue to donate their resources, finances, and personal time to the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institutions.
Candidates for the Regent Award for Excellence in Philanthropy include an organization or individual that has been very generous to one or more TBR institutions or the TBR system and its students. This award is for visionaries, statespersons of the community, employer and workforce partners, and regional leaders.