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Bagwell donates sale of Mercedes to Pellissippi
State
 Ross
Bagwell Sr. recently placed his 1991 Mercedes Benz 560SEL on the
showroom floor to help the Pellissippi State Foundation raise
money for the new Bagwell Center for Media and Art. The facility
opened for classes this semester.
The center was named in honor of the media executive and his family
following a $1 million gift from his daughter and son-in-law,
Dee and Jimmy Haslam. The College hosted a public dedication of
the Bagwell Center on September 10.
Bagwell is founder of Bagwell Communications and Cinetel Productions.
“Ross Bagwell gave media production its start in East Tennessee,”
said president Allen Edwards. “Now he is very interested
in educating our students to become professionals with media companies
like RIVR Media, Scripps, Jewelry Television and Jupiter, as well
as the local TV stations.”
Bagwell called upon longtime friend Sam Furrow, owner of Mercedes-Benz
of Knoxville, to help with the sale of the Mercedes. Furrow contributed
to raising money for the College by donating his business’
showroom to display the car.
The Mercedes was sold to a Chicago resident soon after being put
in the showroom, and Bagwell presented the Foundation with a check
for $22,000.
But that’s not the end of Bagwell’s gift to the College.
He is now extending a friendly challenge to other would-be donors.
“He hopes that his donation might encourage others to invest
in Pellissippi State and our programs,” said Edwards. “We
are grateful for his interest and enthusiasm.”
The College is in the midst of a major gifts campaign, Connecting
Communities, Changing Lives, and has raised $4.65 million toward
the $6 million goal. The Pellissippi State Foundation is conducting
the campaign.
The College broke ground on the Bagwell Center, a 30,000-square-foot
facility that houses Art and the Media Technologies program, in
September 2006. Media Technologies includes four concentrations:
Communication Graphics Technology, Photography, Video Production
Technology and Web Technology.
To learn more about or make a gift to the campaign, call 694-6528
or visit www.pstcc.edu/campaign.
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