Thanks-4-Giving

Antonia Florence, staff writer

Generous donors and their scholarship recipients came together Nov. 11 for the annual Thanks-4-Giving Dinner held in the Bolick Student Center. The Piedmont Virginia Community College Scholarship Foundation awarded more than $320,000 to PVCC students for the 2016-2017 academic year. These scholarships made it possible for many recipients to continue their course of study.

Dinner of salad, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce complimented conversation between the facilitators of the scholarships and their recipients. Students enthusiastically shared their learning experiences with their benefactors while their benefactors drew parallels in their own lives and imparted wisdom to their student recipients.

After dinner, two students spoke of what receiving scholarships meant to them. First-year engineering student Jack Smith, recipient of The Perry Foundation Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship, said he will not need to increase his work hours now. He was afraid that working more would take away from his study time. This would have made it difficult to maintain his high GPA and endanger his acceptance to his first-choice transfer college.

Christina Widder expressed her appreciation to Ambassador and Mrs. Howell for the Nancy Hottle Jones Scholarship which has made it possible for her to pursue a career in the healthcare profession. Widder’s grandparents and parents were farmers and blue-collar workers. She wanted more for her now grown children and herself, and she has almost met her goal.

Closing comments included the reminder that scholarships, unlike loans, never need to be repaid. “However, in the future when you are on the road to success, it would be nice to pay it forward. Hopefully to PVCC, but if not, to another institution of higher education,” said PVCC President Frank Friedman.

PVCC offers more than 100 scholarships with a single application. There is no fee and the scholarships are open to all new and current students. To qualify, apply, meet criteria based on program of study, county of residence, merit and/or need. Application submission is open now until Feb. 1, 2017 and has $275,000 available for 2017-2018.

More information can be found on PVCC’s website.