FLORENCE — Pee Dee students are receiving nearly $35,000 in scholarships to put toward higher education.
The Eastern Carolina Community Foundation awarded scholarships to 20 students from schools across the region. Money from 11 scholarship funds was presented to students across Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg counties.
“It’s all about elevating the Pee Dee region,” Eastern Carolina Community Foundation Executive Director Belle Zeigler said. “It starts with looking at our youth and how we can support them in their educational goals.”
The Eastern Carolina Community Foundation builds collections of endowments from a variety of donors. The scholarship funds come from individual donors who control the name and some of the criteria.
All of the Foundation’s scholarships are provided by individual or business donors.
The Foundation has offered scholarship services since it began in 2006. Donors who want to establish a fund can do so through the Foundation. The Foundation manages awards and applicants.
Marketing the scholarships so students know they’re available is one of the foundation’s main focuses.
High school guidance counselors are a big part of making the scholarships known, Zeigler said. The Foundation has connections to high schools and school districts in its seven service counties.
“The guidance counselors know what’s available and we say ‘push this to your students,’” Zeigler said. “Then it’s up to the kids.”
Some of the scholarships boast narrow and specific requirements. They can be limited to certain high schools and school districts based on how the donor wants funds to be distributed.
Around three scholarship funds didn’t see any applicants, Zeigler said, but the foundation and donors plan to broaden them for the next cycle.
Meredith Hoover received a scholarship designated for those graduating from the King’s Academy in Florence. She’ll use money from the Chrissy Conner Memorial Scholarship Fund to attend the University of South Carolina.
“I am honored and completely humbled to be able to receive this award,” she said.
Several of the scholarship funds have their own external review boards that go through applications sent to the foundation. The foundation’s Grants Committee goes through final applications and ultimately decides who will receive a scholarship, Zeigler said.
Scholarships are presented at each individual high school’s awards ceremony with a foundation representative usually in attendance. However, some of the recipients aren’t in high school anymore.
A few of the scholarships controlled by the foundation can be used for multi year funding. Two college students received additional funding from the Jenny Cockfield Johnson Scholarship. Joshua Coleman at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is receiving a third year of funding while Lurdes Corea is receiving a second year of funding.
The foundation’s ultimate goal is to increase access to higher education through these scholarships, Zeigler said. Most of the scholarships allow applications from those seeking vocational or technical training and two year degrees.
“We know it’s not just about four year institutions anymore,” she said. “It’s very much about philanthropy as it relates to access to higher education and the affordability of it.”
Scholarships are offered annually through the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation. Applications open for the new scholarship cycle in early January 2024 and close March 31.
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