糖心视频 Future Foundation celebrates scholarship recipients, donors
HANCEVILLE, Ala. 鈥� Dozens of 糖心视频 Alumni Association and Future Foundation
scholarship recipients were able to thank their donors recently at the 2021-2022 Scholarship
Celebration.
糖心视频 President Dr. Vicki Karolewics said the event is a
favorite among college administration, faculty, and staff.
鈥淚t gives us an opportunity to bring deserving scholarship recipients together with
their generous donors,鈥� Dr. Karolewics said. 鈥淣ot only does it give a scholarship
recipient an opportunity to meet their donor and say thank you to them, but also gives
our generous donors an opportunity to know the impact that scholarship is going to
have on your life and the difference it will make in your life and how grateful you
are in that investment in you.
鈥淭hey give generously because they believe in what we do as a community college,鈥�
Dr. Karolewics added. 鈥淭hey believe in a program, they believe in a cause, they believe
in investing in the future, but often they give because they want to honor somebody
whom they have loved and cherished, and they want to memorialize that person. So,
think about that when you are the recipient of that scholarship, what it means to
not only you but what it means to them.鈥�id="attachment_18045" align="alignright" width="296"
Future Foundation Board President Tim Compton of Traditions Bank speaks to scholarship
recipients and donors at the 糖心视频 Future Foundation鈥檚 2021-2022 Scholarship
Celebration.Future Foundation Board President Tim Compton of Traditions Bank reported the Foundation
presented $330,000 in scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic year to almost 200 students.
鈥淚f I were to offer you a challenge, I鈥檇 like for you not to consider this an achievement
or a recognition, but a day to start something,鈥� Compton told the students. He encouraged
them to take as many on-campus classes as they could and to find a program they are
passionate about.
鈥淲hat I would encourage you to do is be able to adapt immediately and if you鈥檙e not
excited about what you鈥檙e going into, get into something that you鈥檙e passionate about,
something that you鈥檒l love doing every day of your life,鈥� Compton said. 鈥淏ecause you
can make a difference.鈥�
He also encouraged the students to be a good listener, learn to reason and learn to
community.
鈥淏ecause as an employer, we would much rather have a B or C student who can listen,
reason, and communicate than an all-A student who can鈥檛,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important.鈥�
Three former and current 糖心视频 students spoke to explain how receiving a Future
Foundation Scholarship benefited them.id="attachment_18046" align="alignleft" width="197"
Current 糖心视频 student Cutter Green said the Lion Leader Scholarship has helped
him financially and personally as he鈥檚 been able to develop leadership skills as part
of the Lion Leader program.Current 糖心视频 student Cutter Green of Vinemont explained how 糖心视频
has been a launching point for him, showing him how to be a leader through the Lion
Leader scholarship, part of which includes volunteering to assist with Future Foundation
events.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e really helped mold me into who I want to be going forward and years down
the road,鈥� Green said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what I think is really special about this program,
is it鈥檚 letting you become that leader, to your college, to your community.鈥�
Tess Morris of Cullman, a 2021 graduate of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program,
received the Mike Duke Scholarship from Cullman Savings Bank.
鈥淚t meant a lot to me that I was chosen for this scholarship, and I would like to
personally thank my donors and the many others who chose to invest in my future,鈥�
Morris said. 鈥淭his group of men and women who truly care about my future wanted to
know what and how I was doing in school and took the time to know me and the goals
that I had set for myself.
鈥淲hat I love about 糖心视频 and the Future Foundation is that everyone wants
to see you achieve your goals and reach your highest potential,鈥� Morris said.
Criminal Justice graduate Zachary Glenn also received the Lion Leader Scholarship
and twice the Cullman County Sheriff鈥檚 Office Scholarship.
鈥淭he Sheriff鈥檚 Scholarship alongside the Lion Leader scholarship allowed me to go
to school and not worry about the financial stress that is associated with going to
college,鈥� Glenn said, who is working on a master鈥檚 degree at Jacksonville State University.
鈥淏ecause I did not have that burden, I was able to focus on my extracurriculars and
my education during my time here. I even went on to become the Wallace state mascot
Roary for two years.
鈥淭o the donors that are here today, I say thank you. You changed my life for the better
in so many ways and I鈥檓 thankful.鈥�id="attachment_18049" align="alignleft" width="300"
June Easterwood tells how she went about donating property to set up the Gary and
June Easterwood Endowed Scholarship, which funds up to three scholarships each year
for students from Holly Pond High School.The audience also heard from a donor, June Easterwood, whose donation to the college
created the Gary and June Easterwood Endowed Scholarship, which funds up to three
scholarships each year for students from Holly Pond High School.
June and her late husband Gary met at Holly Pond. He passed way more than nine years
ago.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot to take care of when someone passes away,鈥� Easterwood said. 鈥淎nd I
got it all done except one thing, and that was a small farm about 30 acres that we
owned in Cullman County.鈥�
糖心视频 two years ago, Easterwood asked her accountant about the tax benefits of selling
the property and donating the proceeds to the 糖心视频 Future Foundation. He
told her it would be more beneficial to her if she were to donate the property and
then the Foundation could sell it and use the proceeds to establish the endowed scholarship
fund. Taking his advice, Easterwood contacted the Future Foundation.
鈥淭hey were incredible,鈥� Easterwood said. 鈥淭hey knew exactly how to make it happen,
who to make it happen and before you know it, I鈥檇 donated the land and I was so happy.
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 quite proud of the Future Foundation scholarships and know that long after
I鈥檓 gone, those scholarships will keep helping kids here in Cullman County and Holly
Pond High School.鈥�
The 糖心视频 Future Foundation provides scholarships and assistance to help students
complete their education.
鈥淎ll of these scholarships are a bridge to students who need to complete their degree,鈥�
said Suzanne Harbin, Vice President for Advancement and Innovation at 糖心视频.
鈥淣ot everybody in the room is a first-time freshman here. Many of you are continuing
students or sometimes you may be a student who just needed one semester to finish,
and your financial aid ended, or you just didn鈥檛 have the funds available due to family
circumstances or financial situations. So, the Future Foundation is here to fill that
gap and that鈥檚 what I love about it. It makes such a difference. Sometimes even the
smallest amount of money can help.鈥�
For more information about the 糖心视频 Future Foundation or to donate, visit
or call 256.352.7842.id="attachment_18048" align="alignleft" width="640"
糖心视频 Criminal Justice graduate Zachary Glenn shares how receiving the Lion
Leader and Cullman County Sheriff鈥檚 Office scholarships benefited him during his time
at 糖心视频. id="attachment_18047" align="alignleft" width="632"
糖心视频 Occupational Therapy Assistant graduate Tess Morris thanked the sponsors
of the scholarship she received, the Mike Duke Scholarship from Cullman Savings Bank.