St. John’s Lutheran Church has awarded scholarships to 26 students totaling $27,963. The scholarships are the result of gifts from members who want to encourage and support students in their post-secondary education.

The scholarships are part of the St. John’s Benevolent Foundation, an $11 million foundation started in 1974. In that time period, the foundation has distributed $7 million in scholarships and grants to local and global groups who seek the common good.

The following scholarships were awarded:

• The Thomas E. Gilbert and Viola H. Bailey Scholarship 
• The Dorothy Click Fesperman Scholarship:  
• The Scott Rierson Memorial Scholarship:  
• The Emily May Brown Memorial Scholarship
• The Bruce Alden Ketner Jr. Scholarship
• The Margaret Cline and Ernest Crawford Safrit Sr. Scholarship
• The High B. and Lena B. Lyerly Scholarship
• Scott Smith Memorial Scholarship
• And a new scholarship this year, The Krista and Rhodes Woolly Scholarship, given by Frank and Nancy Eason to honor the Woollys and a graduate from one of Rowan County’s public schools.

The foundation is pleased to congratulate these recipients:

Claire Allen, Gemma Brown, Margaret Dees, William Archie Dees, III, Anna Everhart, Spencer Everhart, Hannah Greene, Noah Hines, Lillian Huebner, Elizabeth Jones, Callie Kirchin, Samuel McNeely, Landon Mesimer, Carsyn Parrott, Harrison Parrott, Victoria Plyler, Joshua Ruggs, Lillian Rusher, Emma Ryerson, Kayla Sachse, Grace Shafer, Katherine Sullivan, Robert Sullivan, Alex Yang, Ellen Yang, and John Yang.

Crosby Scholars celebrates seniors and awards scholarships

Crosby Scholars Rowan celebrated the class of 2021 with a Drive-Thru Senior Celebration on Sunday, May 16 at the North campus of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

This year, the program graduated 186 seniors from 7 high schools, raising the total Rowan County Crosby Scholars graduates over 1,090 since 2016. In the class of 2021, 55 students achieved All-Star status. A Crosby All-Star is a student who joined the program while in 6th grade and successfully completed all the annual requirements each academic year through the 12th grade. Overall, the Crosby class of 2021 logged over 14,900 hours of volunteer service to the community since 2014.

There were 33 scholarship recipients for combined awards totaling $26,000, were recognized during the event. Crosby staff, board members, scholarship donors, and senior advisors were among the volunteers present to help send off the Class of 2021 with heartfelt cheers and well wishes.

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, for the sixth year, is the top choice for Crosby seniors. N.C. State, Appalachian State, UNC-Chapel Hill, and ECU round out the top five.

These are the 2021 scholarship recipients:

• Crosby Scholars Impact Scholarship, $1,000 renewable up to four years:
  Jaden Collins, Emily Dills, Hannah Greene, LeighAnn Harris, Adrianna Sanchez, Takari Bailey, Ronni Lilly.
• Paul Fisher Scholarship, $1,000 non-renewable: Tkaii Gaither.
• Sue P. Fisher Community Service Scholarship,$ 1,000 non-renewable: Emma Toney.
• Goodwill Willpower Scholarship $1,000 non-renewable:
  Carleigh Perry.
• Art Gibel Scholarship, $1,000 non-renewable:
  Trey Wilhoit.
• Joyce Kohfeldt Determination Award, $1,000 non-renewable:
  Audrey Andrews, Peyton Davis.
• John A. Carter Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 non-renewable:
  Shelby Harrison, Hannah Larson, Carleigh Tadlock.
• John O. Reynolds Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 non-renewable:
  Matt Downing, Tiana Turner.
• Mona Lovett Scholarship $1,000 non-renewable:
  Liberty Hill.
• Antonio and Victoria Munoz Scholarship, $500 non-renewable:
  Diego Corona, Itzia Pena Flores, Evelin Jaimes Velazquez, Israel Velazquez Jr.
• Bob Casmus Medical/Healthcare Scholarship, $500 non-renewable:
  Bailey Webster.
• J. Michael McDuffie Memorial Scholarship, $500 non-renewable:
  Kathleen Chisholm, Cassidy Holshouser, Theo Oglesby, Raychel Harrity , Ruby Fallin, Abby Smith.
• David Post Public Service Scholarship, $500 non-renewable:
  Lindsey Conrad, Alex Powers.
• “For Life” Scholarship, $500 non-renewable:
  Ward Bond.

Hood Theological Seminary donor and scholarship recognition program

SALISBURY – Hood Theological Seminary held its 17th annual Bishop James Walker Hood Donor a Scholarship Recognition Program on May 13. This event is held to recognize and thank those donors whose support reaffirms Hood’s mission and unique investment in the future of the church and society. This year’s event was held virtually via Zoom.

The featured speakers at the event were retired higher education administrator Catrelia Hunter and Jason Walser, Executive Director of the Blanche and Julian Robertson Foundation.

Two students and scholarship recipients, Justin Snyder and Deanca Crouch, thanked the donors of their scholarships and discussed what receiving a scholarship meant to their studies and ministerial education.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Bishop James Walker Hood Donor Award and the Zion Heritage Appreciation Award. There were three recipients for the donor award this year this year. The recipients were James E. Moss, Rowan Helping Ministries and Rev. Lamont Foster.

The heritage award was given to Janie Jones.