The Community Foundation Awards Scholarships totaling $516,250

Press release from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina:

August 2022) – The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) approved scholarships totaling $516,250 to 90 WNC students in 57 schools in 21 counties. More than 60 volunteers from the community worked to review applications and select recipients.

Top recipients were:

• Alexis Armstrong from Asheville High School who was awarded the Marilyn Lester and William Lester Scholarshipvalued at $40,000 over four years. She plans to attend NC State University.
• Paddock Davey from Asheville High School who was awarded the Marilyn Lester and William Lester Scholarshipvalued at $40,000 over four years. He plans to attend NC State University.
• Lela French from T.C. Roberson High School who was awarded the Irving Jacob Reuter Award valued at $40,000 over four years. She plans to attend UNC Chapel Hill.
• Peighton Robison from Mitchell High School who was awarded the Charles C. and Suzanne R. McKinney Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend UNC Chapel Hill.
• Lawrence Stephenson from Haywood Early College High School who was awarded the Nathaniel Ellis Cannady Jr. Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. He plans to attend NC State University.
• Carley Lawter from Polk County High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend Isothermal Community College and then transfer to a 4-year university.
• Payton Palmer from Hiawassee Dam High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend Western Carolina University.
• Sareena Patel from Swain County High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend University of Pennsylvania.
• Joseph Stanis from Madison Early College High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. He plans to attend UNC Asheville.
• Hannah Wells from Tuscola High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend Wofford College.
• Susan Zhang from Pisgah High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend UNC Chapel Hill.
• Kira Creasman from Andrews High School who was awarded the Reichman Scholarship Fund valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend Appalachian State University.
• Zachary Vance from Avery County High School who was awarded the Powers Scholarship for Avery County Schoolsvalued at $16,000 over four years. He plans to attend UNC Asheville.
• Harper Wilkes from Madison High School who was awarded the A. Joe Hemphill, Jr., Scholarship valued at $12,000 over four years. She plans to attend Appalachian State University.
• Taleigh Verrault from Smoky Mountain High School who was awarded the Gene and Lee Meyer Scholarship valued at $12,000 over four years. She plans to attend Western Carolina University.
• Sarah Gibby from Robbinsville High School who was awarded the Gene and Lee Meyer Scholarship valued at $12,000 over four years. She plans to attend Western Carolina University.

Scholarship endowments can have broad eligibility criteria or can be focused on a particular school or county, offered to students pursuing a degree in a stated field or available to those who will attend a designated college or university.

“It’s an absolute highlight of my year to be able to interview these gifted, amazing students, and to know the scholarships through CFWNC are helping them meet challenges ahead and attain successful futures,” said Diane Hagenbuch, scholarship committee member. “The members of our committee work well together to select the student we feel best represents the qualifications outlined, which is not easy given the considerable talent of the students. At the end of the process, we all feel confident that these students are going to be exceptional leaders in the future.”

CFWNC works with families, businesses and nonprofits to strengthen communities through the creation of charitable funds and strategic grantmaking. A permanent charitable resource, the Foundation manages over 1,200 funds and facilitated $23.5 million in grants last year bringing total giving to more than $328 million since its founding in 1978. Learn more at www.cfwnc.org.