Donation to provide $50,000 in free textbooks to support students as part of new DPS-Durham Tech Partnership 

Marcia Angle and Mark Trustin have donated a sizeable sum to the Durham Technical Community College Foundation, including $50,000 to support Durham Public School students enrolled in courses at Durham Tech. The $50,000 will purchase textbooks for students beginning in the 2023-2024 school year who are part of the recently announced DPS-Durham Tech Partnership. 

Last week, DPS and Durham Tech launched an effort to ensure more than 500 students graduate annually from DPS with a workforce credential or associate degree from Durham Tech.

In North Carolina, high school students take courses as part of the College and Career Promise (CCP) program. The CCP program accelerates high school students’ completion of college certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees that lead to college transfer or provide entry-level job skills. Tuition is waived for credit courses for CCP students, but textbook costs, which can run between $200 to $500 per semester, are the students’ responsibility.  This donation will offset those expenses for dual enrollment students.

“My husband, Mark, and I have always been advocates for students, and we want to help remove barriers that could prevent students from achieving their full potential,” Angle said. “We saw this as one opportunity to do that.”

Trustin added that the couple strongly supports the mission of the College and Career Promise program. 

“CCP provides students with multiple pathways to find success,” he said. “We want to assist the College in serving these students and hope by offering free textbooks to remove what may have been an obstacle for students who would benefit from participating in this program but could not afford the textbooks.”  

Durham Technical Community College President J.B. Buxton commended Trustin and Angle for their longtime advocacy to ensure equitable access to education. 

“Dr. Angle and Mr. Trustin over the years have made a real difference in the lives of students,” Buxton said. “This donation is yet another example of how they put into action the values that they hold dear. We at Durham Tech are extraordinarily grateful for what their generosity is going to mean for students who otherwise may not have been able to pursue their aspirations.” 

Trustin is a civil and criminal trial law attorney and student advocate. Angle is a preventative medicine physician. They are longtime supporters of education and social justice.