Dr. Ogden Honored At OCCC Fundraiser

The Oregon Coast Community College Foundation’s annual Pearls of Wisdom Gala, held Saturday, March 14, at the College’s Central County Campus in Newport,

raised a record $102,000 to support scholarships for Oregon Coast Community College students — a remarkable leap from $74,000 raised in 2025 and approximately $50,000 in 2024. All proceeds fund Foundation scholarships, helping to lower the cost of attendance and reduce financial barriers for Lincoln County residents pursuing higher education and career advancement. “Every dollar raised goes directly to students,” said Jeanette Campagna, Director of Advancement for the OCCC Foundation. “To see this level of generosity from our community year after year is humbling — and it makes a real difference in people’s lives.”

As part of the evening’s program, the College presented its annual “Friend of the College”

award, recognizing an individual whose sustained contributions have significantly advanced

OCCC’s mission. President Dr. Marshall Mease Roache announced that the 2026 recipient was Dr. Lesley Ogden, CEO of Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport and Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City. Dr. Ogden has been a consistent champion of OCCC’s Nursing and Allied Health programs. Each year, Samaritan’s local hospitals hire graduates from the College’s nursing program, helping to strengthen the healthcare workforce across Lincoln County.

In addition, Dr. Ogden and her team work closely with OCCC faculty and leadership to develop rigorous, real-world practicum placements that prepare students for clinical practice.

The foundations supporting both hospitals also provide ongoing financial support to the

program, contributing to the steady expansion of OCCC’s nursing offerings in recent years.

“Sustained, remarkable growth the likes of which our program has experienced in recent years doesn’t happen by accident,” said President Roache. “It’s what comes when a talented student body is paired with an exceptional lineup of professional faculty — and with the unflagging support of stakeholders and supporters like Dr. Lesley Ogden.”

This continued growth will be reflected on June 12, when OCCC holds its 20th Nursing Pinning Ceremony — a milestone event that is expected to be the largest in the College’s history, with more than 46 graduates. The gala was emceed by Representative David Gomberg, who also volunteers as a member of the OCCC Foundation Board, and Patrick Alexander, owner and publisher of the Oregon Coast TODAY and an elected member of the OCCC Board of Education.