Community Foundation of the NRV provides $142,066 in scholarships to NRV students
Blacksburg, Virginia – This spring, the Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV) gave out $141,066 in scholarships to 81 students living or studying in the New River Valley (NRV), including 20 who are first in their family to attend college. The CFNRV will celebrate with the scholarship recipients and their loved ones at a luncheon on May 7.
Since 2002, the CFNRV has awarded $1,114,731 to 940 students pursuing a wide variety of majors and certifications. Many of these students are funded for multiple years throughout their higher education experiences. Funding for these scholarships comes from generous donors, including individuals, families, and businesses, all with a desire to support the continuing education of high school seniors, college students, and students attending trade or technical schools.
“My mother, June Wang, loved being a teacher at Blacksburg High School. Students were her top priority and she cared deeply about instilling in them a sense of global citizenship and community involvement,” said Xiao-Wei Wang, who, along with her family, established the June Liang Wang Scholarship Fund, which gave out two scholarships this year. “With thanks to community support and under the direction of the CFNRV, we are able to continue mom’s legacy through her memorial scholarship.”
Donors work with the CFNRV to set up a scholarship fund based on specific criteria such as where the student is attending school, their financial needs, or their career goals. When the fund is fully endowed, income generated from the investment can start awarding scholarships annually, with the goal of funding students for generations to come. Currently, the foundation has 50 scholarship funds.
The 2023 scholarship recipients include 50 high school seniors, with the greatest number of students coming from Blacksburg High School (11), Floyd County High School (10), Christiansburg High School (8), Eastern Montgomery High School (6), and Auburn High School (4.) Also receiving scholarships this year are 31 college students, with the most students coming from Virginia Tech (16) and New River Community College (6.) A complete list of this year’s scholarship winners is below. Next year’s scholarship application cycle will open this October, with a deadline to apply in January 2024. Anyone interested in learning more about establishing a scholarship fund to support students in our region may contact the foundation at 540-381-8999 or cfnrv@cfnrv.org.
High School Students (50) Auburn High School (4 students) 1. Rachel Brotherton, $1,900 total from the W. F. Teel Scholarship Fund & the Laura J. Pynn Scholarship Fund 2. Dawson Richards, $1,900 from the Juanita Shelor Hall Memorial Scholarship Fund 3. Macaela Richmeier, $1,900 total from the Juanita Shelor Hall Memorial Scholarship Fund & the Teel Family Scholarship Fund 4. Kira Samuel, $1,900 from the Juanita Shelor Hall Memorial Scholarship Fund
Blacksburg High School (11) 1. Mercy Akanmu, $1,800 from the June Liang Wang Scholarship Fund 2. Patrick Davis, $1,000 from the Terry Helms Memorial Scholarship Fund 3. Mia Farley, $840 from the Dana R. & Marilyn Spencer Scholarship Fund 4. Norah Griggs, $1,065 from the Allan Mandelstamm Scholarship Fund 5. Nicholas Harvey, $600 from the Dennis Stauffer Memorial Scholarship Fund 6. Suzie Kim, $1,000 from the BHS National Honor Society Legacy Scholarship Fund 7. Maeve Rensberger, $1,420 from the Auxiliary of Radford Community Hospital/CNRVMC Scholarship Fund 8. Mila Santsaver-Jones, $1,500 from the Chris Dudley Scholarship Fund 9. Gabriel Syed, $500 from the A. Phillips Meadows Leadership Fund 10. Sam Woolsey, $1,800 from the June Liang Wang Scholarship Fund 11. Edric Zhang, $1,500 from the Jim Gwazdauskas Memorial Scholarship Fund
Christiansburg High School (8) 1. Emily Abbott, $1,770 from the Adrienne Marie Rhudy Memorial Scholarship Fund 2. Carson Ballard, $1,500 from the Doris Huff Elliott Business Excellence Scholarship Fund 3. Thaxton Henley, $1,000 from the Eric E. Sutphin Memorial Scholarship Fund 4. Hayden Kyle, $1,000 from the VFW Post 5311 Legacy Scholarship Fund 5. Taylor Rasmussen, $2,000 from the Josephine D. Shotts Memorial Scholarship Fund 6. Anna Rayne, $1,000 from the Eric E. Sutphin Memorial Scholarship Fund 7. Faith Sarver, $1,420 from the Auxiliary of Radford Community Hospital/CNRVMC Scholarship Fund 8. McKenna Spaulding, $1,300 from the Marcus Allen Ford Memorial Scholarship Fund
Eastern Montgomery High School (6) 1. Logan Boone, $700 from the Casey Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund 2. Madison Bruce, $1,000 from the Muffo Family Scholarship Fund 3. Abigail Felty, $1,000 from the Laura J. Pynn Scholarship Fund 4. Jenna Gadd, $1,780 from the Epperly Family Fund 5. Lucas Jones, $1,018 from the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Freedom Scholarship Fund 6. Madeline Mirolli, $1,065 from the Marie Mandelstamm Scholarship Fund
Floyd County High School (10) 1. Avery Cantrell, $1,000 from the Citizens Scholarship Fund 2. Melanie Gallimore, $1,000 from the Larry Turman Memorial Scholarship Fund 3. Maria Garcia Diaz, $3,000 total from the RBN Inc. Appreciation Scholarship Fund & Amber D. Lutz Memorial Scholarship Fund 4. James Holt, $1,100 from the Woodrow & Elma Turman Scholarship Fund 5. Vanessa Hylton, $2,190 from the Earl Vest & Mamie Phillips Vest Scholarship Fund 6. Jessica Long, $1,000 from the Williamsburg Consort Symphonic Band Scholarship Fund 7. Andrew Martin, $2,190 from the Earl Vest & Mamie Phillips Vest Scholarship Fund 8. Carly Thompson, $1,600 from the Mary Ann King Peters Memorial Scholarship Fund 9. Hallie Williams, $500 Evelyn Rutrough Memorial Scholarship Fund 10. Victoria Wood, $2,190 from the Earl Vest & Mamie Phillips Vest Scholarship Fund
Narrows High School (3) 1. Kaleah Handshoe, $2,000 from the Josephine D. Shotts Memorial Scholarship Fund 2. Mya Robertson, $1,000 from the Domermuth Scholarship Fund 3. Virginia Bowles, $1,420 from the Auxiliary of Radford Community Hospital/CNRVMC Scholarship Fund
Pulaski County High School (3) 1. Sydney Farley, $2,000 from the Jo Ann Slate Smith Scholarship Fund 2. Emilie Hall, $2,000 from the Jo Ann Slate Smith Scholarship Fund 3. Zachary Parker, $2,000 from the Simón-Flora-Grohs Scholarship Fund
Plus, one student each from: · Cassidy Callister, Springhouse Community School, $1,000 from the T. Scott Eaton Scholarship Fund · Liam Gillock, Grayson County High School, $1,180 from the Plummer Scholarship Fund · Hollie Fletcher, Giles High School, $500 from the Virginia Whitaker Memorial Scholarship Fund · Angie Lin, Radford High School, $1,770 from the Adrienne Marie Rhudy Memorial Scholarship Fund · Dianna White, Galax High School, $1,180 from the Plummer Scholarship Fund
University students (31)
Bridgewater College (2) 1. Logan Douthat, $1,420 from the Auxiliary of Radford Community Hospital/CNRVMC Scholarship Fund 2. Jared Nichols, $4,000 from the James E. & Kate H. Board Scholarship Fund
New River Community College (6) 1. Helen Beavers, $1,250 from the Wings Fund 2. Jaycee Chaffin, $2,190 from the Earl Vest & Mamie Phillips Vest Scholarship Fund 3. Kenzee Chaffin, $2,190 from the Earl Vest & Mamie Phillips Vest Scholarship Fund 4. Gracenne Clinger, $1,250 from the Wings Fund 5. Eliany Garcia-Bermudez, $3,000 from the RBN Inc. Appreciation Scholarship Fund 6. Shuler Williams, $500 from the Living4Bri Scholarship Fund
Virginia Tech (16) 1. Madison Blake, $2,500 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 2. Ruthie Brown, $2,500 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 3. Krista Carlton, $2,000 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 4. Victoria Fedik, $4,000 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 5. Ella Fitzgerald, $3,500 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 6. Heidi Gomez, $2,000 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 7. Jack Hammock, $1,950 from the Lineweaver Family Scholarship Fund 8. Angelina Jannace, $500 from the Lambda Horizon Scholarship Fund 9. Alexandra Jones, $2,500 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 10. Gage Kelly, $1,950 from the Lineweaver Family Scholarship Fund 11. Suin Kim, $2,000 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 12. Seferina Olivo, $4,000 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 13. Megan Phan, $2,500 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 14. Harbalbeen Rai, $4,000 total from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund & the Adrienne Marie Rhudy Memorial Scholarship Fund 15. Morgan Ralph, $2,500 from the VT Women’s Club Scholarship Fund 16. Hanna Santolla, $1,720 from the Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad Memorial Scholarship Fund
Plus, one each from: · Sydney Fritz, Brown University, $1,018 from the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Freedom Scholarship Fund · Andrea Leng, Washington University in St. Louis, $2,000 from the Benjamin Eiss Memorial Scholarship Fund · Jaden Nichols, James Madison University, $4,000 from the James E. & Kate H. Board Scholarship Fund · Josep Ocampo, College of William and Mary, $3,000 from the RBN Inc. Appreciation Scholarship Fund · Cole Shepherd, Delta State University, $1,065 from the Allan Mandelstamm Scholarship Fund · Selna Shi, Virginia Commonwealth University, $3,000 from the RBN Inc. Appreciation Scholarship Fund · Brittle Williams, Radford University, $1,065 from the Marie Mandelstamm Scholarship Fund |