PARSONS – The Tucker Community Foundation awarded $109,950 in scholarships from over 45 different scholarship funds for high school and college students in Barbour, Grant, Mineral, Preston, Pocahontas, Randolph and Tucker counties, WV and Garrett County, MD. Scholarship awards ranged from $400 to $8,000 with most in the $1,000 to $2,000 range.
The Foundation is excited to announce four new scholarships given out this year for the very first time. The John & Beulah “Bob” Bartlett Scholarship goes to a Randolph or Tucker County student attending college. The DeVilder Family Scholarship goes to a Tucker County High School graduate that will be attending a West Virginia college and majoring in Engineering, a STEM field, Pre-Law, Business or Agricultural/Veterinary related fields. The Kelley Family Scholarship goes to a Philip Barbour High School graduate with a GPA of 3.0 or above and planning to pursue a 4-year degree in Engineering, Education or Dental Hygiene. The Myers Family Scholarship goes to a Tucker or Preston County student preferably attending Potomac State College going into the Mental Health and Addiction Studies program.
The Foundation hosted a reception for all the scholarship recipients and their families, TCF Board of Directors, and Scholarship Fund Advisors in the Senate Commons on the campus of Davis & Elkins College on June 15, 2024. “We have had the reception at Canaan Valley Resort the last couple of years and it was such a success that we decided to relocate the event from county to county in our coverage area so that all counties have the opportunity to host the reception,” said Michael Moore, CFO of the Foundation. “The idea behind the event was for the students and their families to be able to meet the TCF Board of Directors, which decides who gets the scholarships, and the Scholarship Fund Advisors that actually had the vision to create the funds and give the money that pays for the scholarships. The event was such a success that next year’s event is already being planned.”
This year’s event started with some social time, so everyone could mingle and get to know each other, drinks and appetizers were provided. First, the students got to play a game where they had a chance to win money. “We received feedback from last year’s recipients on ways to improve the event, so this year the Foundation also did drawings for 10 very nice prizes throughout the day, plus a grand prize of an Apple MacBook computer. All the students received a gift bag from the Foundation with their scholarship check. A photographer was present to take photos of the students, families and the Fund advisors,” said Moore.
This year the Foundation gave 38 scholarships to current and previous Tucker County High School Graduates, they included Melissa Tauscher, Paige Shaffer, Avery Colebank, Karley Kyle, Jeremy Liller, Zada Carr, Emma Snyder, Angela Myers, Braden Mullenax, Clay Poling, Macy Helmick, Kristen Hicks, Mason Kisamore, Jacob Moore, Eliseo Wotring, Luke Poling, Aedan Kirk, Mason Powell, Jayden Moore, Hannah Cussins, Katelyn Hicks, Laney Burns, Tessa Jolly, Addison Hicks, Jacob Lower, Nevaeh Nichols, Karlee Smith, Kristin Coleman, Lacey Walker, David Kines, Caitlyn McCrum, Ethan McCrum, Ethan Rosenau, Emily Lewis, Kaylee Jennings, Rachel Felton, Tabitha Adams and Avery Smith.
“Some of the Tucker Community Foundation’s scholarships are designated for graduates of a particular high school or for a particular college while others are based on activities or intended college majors” Moore said. “Just because a student does not qualify for one scholarship does not mean they would not qualify for another. We review all of the scholarship applicants and determine the student’s eligibility for each different scholarship fund.”
High school seniors, college students, students attending technical schools, home schooled students and other non-traditional students (e.g., adults returning to school) are encouraged to apply for a Tucker Community Foundation scholarship regardless of their field of study. TCF will be accepting scholarship applications again in January and February of 2025.
The Tucker Community Foundation manages more than 140 endowed funds providing annual scholarships and grants to nonprofits and charitable causes throughout the eight-county service area. Inspired by the flood of 1985, the mission of the Foundation is to create opportunities for the communities we serve. For more information about scholarships contact the Tucker Community Foundation at 304-478-2930 or visit www.tuckerfoundation.net.