The Ogeechee Technical College Foundation recently held its annual scholarship dinner in the Oak Room of the Jack Hill Building at the College. The 100 awards recognized at the banquet are the most since the college was founded in 1986 and makes this the 3rd consecutive record-breaking year.
“Every year that we have the opportunity to celebrate an increase in the number of scholarships available to students is a wonderful thing,” said Larry Mays, Vice President for College Advancement. “The scholarship dinner is an extraordinary event where we get to see how the generosity of our donors meets the needs of students pursuing their career dreams.”
During the evening, remarks were given by several scholarship recipients including Noah Montgomery, recipient of the Glennville Rotary Club Annual Scholarship, and Arianna Crumpacker, recipient of the The Ball Family Fish & Wildlife Management Endowed Scholarship.
Montgomery, who is a student in OTC’s inaugural Associate of Science in Nursing cohort, was born, literally, into the OTC family.
“My mother was pregnant with me while she was a nursing student here at Ogeechee Technical College,” said Montgomery. “This whole experience has been a full circle moment for me getting to celebrate with my brother and sisters who are also OTC students pursuing careers in nursing."
Crumpacker, who decided to pursue a career in the outdoors after a visit to Wormsloe in Savannah, expressed how Fish & Wildlife is more than just a career for her.
“My visit to Wormsloe in Savannah opened my eyes to the fact that being in the outdoors was an opportunity for me to get away from the stresses of life and explore who I really am. My instructor, Mrs. Corbett, and the Fish & Wildlife program have helped me discover that side of myself and turn it into a career opportunity,” said Crumpacker.
Among the 100 awards given out this year there were eleven new scholarships made available to students, some with more than one spot:
• AgSouth Farm Credit Annual Scholarship
• Aspen Aerogels Annual Scholarship
• Bob & Sharon Reno Annual Scholarship
• Brooklet Kiwanis Club Annual Scholarship
• D&R Intensive Car Care Annual Scholarship
• Georgia Technologies Annual Scholarship
• Mike & Verdery Kennedy Annual Scholarship
• Robert & Diane Ernst Endowed Scholarship
• Statesboro Real Estate Annual Scholarship
• The James Pearce Annual Scholarship
• The Roderick Group Annual Scholarship
Scholarship applications are accepted prior to the start of each semester and are reviewed by Ogeechee Tech board members and community volunteers, along with faculty and staff. Through the funding of endowments and annual iGot donations, scholarship funds may be used for tuition, fees, and books.