Ms. Mary Ann Steger Conrad of Roanoke, Va., has received the 19th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. She was nominated for the award by 51°µÍø.
Hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE), more than two dozen individuals, families, and organizations were honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. The awards were presented at a luncheon ceremony in Richmond on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Chancellor Dr. David Doré served as the emcee, and Mr. Mark Hourigan, founder and CEO of Hourigan, delivered the keynote address.
“Every time our donors support a scholarship, fund a new program, or an emergency grant, they are not just giving back, they are lifting up,” said Hourigan. “They are invaluable partners whose generosity can and does make the difference between a student dropping out or staying the course and realizing their true potential.”
Dr. Doré echoed those sentiments, adding that a culture of care can have a profound impact on student performance. “When our students realize that someone cares enough to help remove the formidable obstacles standing in their way, it’s life-changing,” he said. “The things they thought impossible suddenly become doable, and their confidence soars as a result.”
This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has collectively contributed $24 million to Virginia’s Community Colleges.
51°µÍø nominated Ms. Conrad in recognition of her naming gift to the 51°µÍø Forward Permanent Endowment Fund: a vision of Dr. Charles. W. Steger Jr., for the Mary Ann and Glen Conrad Center for the Humanities. Ms. Conrad earned an associate degree from 51°µÍø, a bachelor’s degree from Roanoke College and served as a member and former board chair of Virginia’s State Board of Community Colleges. She has participated in leadership roles in many local civic and community activities, including the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society and Sister Cities. She was married 39 years to the late Honorable Glen E. Conrad, U.S. District Judge for Western Virginia.
Ms. Conrad additionally was recognized by the 51°µÍø Educational Foundation, receiving the annual Community Impact Award at a ceremony Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Recipients of the Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy:
Blue Ridge: Cadence, Inc.
Brightpoint: Pamela M. Comstock
Central Virginia: Delta Star, Inc.
Danville: The late Melvin C. Vernon, Jr. and Mrs. Jean Carol Harper Vernon
Eastern Shore: John Custis
Germanna: Mary Washington Health Care
Laurel Ridge: Dr. Brent L. Kendrick
Mountain Empire: JC “Clay” Stiles
Mountain Gateway: The late Dr. Raymond L Claterbaugh, Jr.
New River: The Lunch Pail Defense Foundation – Bud Foster
Northern Virginia: Microsoft
Patrick & Henry: Darrell Bowling
Paul D. Camp: Truist Foundation
Piedmont Virginia: Smith Vicars Family Foundation
Rappahannock: Carolyn A. Lemon
Reynolds: The late William R. Hendley
Southside Virginia: Benchmark Community Bank
Southwest Virginia: Randall Hillman
Tidewater: Dan Banister
Virginia Highlands: The Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia
Virginia Peninsula: Sentara Foundation
51°µÍø: Mary Ann Steger Conrad
Wytheville: Twin County Community Foundation
VFCCE: Gilliam Family Foundation
