From The Community Foundation:
Despite disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic, The Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region awarded $150,236 in scholarships to 51 area sudents this month.
Generous people and businesses entrust scholarship funds to The Community Foundation. The foundation invests them with a goal to ensure long-term appreciation while meeting charitable needs over time. This means each year, renewed resources are available to support graduating high school seniors. Today, the foundation manages 41 different scholarship funds on behalf of generous individuals and families that want to strengthen the greater Fredericksburg community.
In order to ensure each scholarship is awarded to the most suitable candidate, the foundation convenes a panel of volunteer reviewers to evaluate scholarship applications based on criteria that matches the donors’ intentions for the funds. Because of the governor’s social distancing mandates, foundation staff had to retool the annual scholarship review process. Meetings were moved online and staff worked extra hours to collate reviewer feedback.
The foundation is thankful to each generous scholarship fund donor and volunteer citizen reviewer who made it possible!
A full list of 2020 scholarship winners is available at the foundation’s website https://www.cfrrr.org/apply/2020-scholarship-recipients/
Read about the scholarship funds established by generous area donors at https://www.cfrrr.org/apply/scholarship-funds/
Four-time 2020 scholarship winner Christian Taylor just graduated from James Monroe High School in the City of Fredericksburg. Christian won the Crittenden R. Sullivan, Jr. Memorial scholarship, the George D. Taylor scholarship, the Mary B. and Perry A. Thompson scholarship, and the Kenneth T. Whitescarver III Memorial scholarship.
“I will attend the University of Virginia’s College of Arts and Sciences, then apply to the McIntire School of Commerce, concentrating in management and marketing with a track in global commerce. I will pursue a career in International Business to explore the business world from a multicultural perspective. Not only do I hope to learn, but I hope to show my appreciation of the different countries’ cultural impact.”
Courtland High School graduate Danica Duque will study computer science and psychology with minors in cyber-security and data analysis, initially at Germanna Community College. Danica won the William and Susanna Botts Scholarship for Immigrants and the Seay Family Memorial scholarship.
“For my family, graduation was not just to celebrate my success as a student, it was for my mother, a first-generation immigrant and frontline nurse who ‘made it’ and my grandmother who, despite not knowing any English, decided to come here and take care of me. However, with the current pandemic and the loss of several family members in the Philippines due to COVID-19, the future seemed bleak.
But, on April 29 at about six o’clock at night, I received an email that I was a scholarship winner. It came as a silver lining during such a difficult period. I am very grateful for the scholarship you have provided. Because of your generous contribution and belief in higher education, I and many other immigrants, were able to ease our financial burden on our families.”
One new scholarship was added this year — the Ira and Gladys West Scholarship. Each year, this scholarship supports a graduating senior in King George County. The Dahlgren Heritage Museum created the scholarship fund at The Community Foundation in honor of two remarkable Dahlgren Navy Base employees, Dr. Gladys West and Mr. Ira West. The West family and the Dahlgren Heritage Museum believe in the power of an education rich in math and sciences. With this scholarship, they hope to support students pursuing a degree in mathematics or other Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) related fields.
This year’s winner, Christopher Stinson, plans to study architecture at University of Miami.
“I am humbled and honored to be the recipient of your generous Ira and Gladys West Scholarship. …I look forward to the day that I am fully equipped and able to best serve the community that has given me so much. I desire to make significant strides in helping less fortunate and under-represented social groups. I am overwhelmed with gratitude as you have proven to be a difference maker by investing in my educational endeavors and those who have gone before me and those behind me.”
