By Jacob Graves
Copy Editor

Terry and Cheryl Holden have contributed $10 million through the Clackamas Community College Foundation, supporting projects aimed at expanding opportunities for students pursuing career and technical education. 

Their latest $5 million gift to the foundation, announced in June, will help fund the planned Holden Natural Resources Center. The 38,000-square-foot facility will provide hands-on training in fields including horticulture, water and environmental technology, arboriculture and wild land firefighting. The couple’s first $5 million gift to the foundation supported the college’s Holden Industrial Technology Center. 

Early renderings of the upcoming Holden Natural Resources Center. Photo provided by Terry Holden

The new building will be located near the Environmental Learning Center, across the road from Clairmont Hall, on the site of an existing storage barn, according to Public Information Officer Lori Hall.

Developed in partnership with Oregon State University’s Clackamas County Extension Service, the facility will feature specialized labs, teaching gardens and an indoor tree-climbing facility. Construction is scheduled to begin in winter 2027 with a grand opening planned for spring 2028, according to the college. 

A campus map showing the upcoming Holden Natural Resource Center’s location. Photo provided by Lori Hall

For Terry Holden, the contributions reflect a commitment to the communities and people who helped shape his life, beginning in his hometown of Molalla. 

Long before Holden and his wife began making major contributions benefiting the college, he learned the value of hard work in his father’s garage in Molalla. 

Growing up, Holden helped with the dirty jobs that kept the family business running, from changing oil and fueling trucks to repairing tires. His father worked primarily with local loggers and truckers, and Holden said he always had a job waiting for him.

“As a kid, it wasn’t probably the thing I wanted to do,” said Holden. “My dad, he knew he didn’t want me hanging around there [the shop] after I got out of high school. So he would tell everybody to give me the worst jobs possible.”

His father wanted him to pursue a different career, but the work also taught Holden lessons that would follow him throughout his life. He said his parents instilled a strong work ethic, and his father showed him that helping others did not always require money. 

“He wasn’t in a position to help with money, but he was always helping in any way he could as far as building for free and doing things to help the local community,” said Holden. “I kind of had that in my DNA at an early age.”

Early in middle school, Holden wanted to become a certified public accountant, inspired by an older cousin. After graduating from Molalla High School, he received an annual scholarship from timber company Crown Zellerbach that covered roughly half the cost of his education. 

Holden said he never forgot the people who helped him along the way, crediting his business law teacher Steve Beck and longtime basketball and football coach Keith Jensen. 

“I’ve been really fortunate to be influenced by a tremendous number of people,” said Holden. “I’ve been very fortunate with people helping me guide my career.”

After college, Holden worked in accounting and spent about 15 years involved with Oregon State University, including serving on its foundation executive committee. However, he said his enthusiasm for higher education eventually faded as he became concerned about how much money was being spent. 

“Over the years, I kind of lost a little bit of the luster for higher education,” said Holden. “There just seemed like too much money going into that.”

About a decade ago, a high school friend introduced him to Clackamas Community College. Holden initially focused on providing scholarships for students from Molalla, Estacada and Colton, communities close to his and his wife Cheryl’s roots. 

Terry and Cheryl Holden at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. Photo provided by Terry Holden

The relationship grew as Holden learned more about the college’s career and technical education programs and developed trust in its leadership. He said three factors shaped the couple’s support: the quality of CCC’s programs, his trust in college leaders and their ties to Clackamas County. 

Holden said the main goal is to help students gain skills that lead to good jobs. 

“They’re probably tired of me saying, ‘It’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs,’” said Holden. “At the end of the day, I’m hoping that everybody gets a job that they like that hits their hot button and matches up with their training.”

Holden says he and Cheryl want to help students find work that pays well and gives them a sense of fulfillment, while making education accessible through CCC’s relatively affordable programs and scholarships. 

For Holden, charitable giving also comes down to trust in the people and organizations receiving the support.

“When you’re dealing with people that you have total respect for, you have the trust, you have the integrity, it gives you the confidence,” said Holden. “There’s a lot of people when you’re looking at charitable activities, they talk a good story, but is there something behind it?” 

Holden said he sees the center as a boost to CCC’s career and technical education programs, giving students opportunities to learn through practical experience. 

“I think it really just ups the game at Clackamas,” said Holden. “If they have the skills, they’ve got the work ethic and if they have a good positive attitude, I know that every student that goes through that program is going to have a job that they are proud of and will love. And they’ll go to work every day and enjoy it, and they’re going to make a good salary.”

The couple wants to see the impact of their contributions firsthand rather than wait until after their deaths to give back. 

“We’re probably going to just continue to be involved in more projects that come down the pipeline, and the good thing is we can see the results of what we’re doing while we’re here,” said Holden. “We’re getting the pleasure and the enjoyment of seeing kind of the fruits of our labor and what they’re doing.”