Charleston West Virginia Economic Development

Discussions on Economic and Community Development in West Virginia and the Charleston MSA as well as issues of the Charleston Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

College Summit Scholarship Recipients Revealed

The Charleston Area Alliance today announced its 2009 College Summit Scholarship recipients.

The winners are: Thomas Gray, Riverside High School; Jared Layman, Nitro High School; and Kevin Jackson, George Washington High School. Funding for the scholarships is provided by the Maier Foundation.

Each student will receive a $2,000 scholarship and a laptop computer. In addition, students will receive a gift card their sophomore and junior years to their university bookstore so they can purchase books. A gift card to a Charleston Area Alliance member retailer will be provided their senior year to purchase business attire to assist them in presenting a professional image at job interviews.

These students will be recognized for their achievement at the Alliance’s 2009 Annual Celebration June 3 at the Clay Center.

The Alliance’s Scholarship Selection Committee met earlier this month to review applications and choose the recipients.

“It was an incredibly difficult decision,” said committee member Bonita Hess. “We had an outstanding group of students apply. I only wish we could have awarded all the students with scholarships.”

The Alliance began partnering with College Summit in 2006 to provide scholarship opportunities to students participating in College Summit’s Peer Leader workshop. During this workshop, students receive intensive instruction on how to get into college, including working with a writing coach perfecting their personal essays, filling out practice college applications, meeting with college counselors and researching financial aid opportunities.

These students then return to their high schools to share the information learned in the workshop with peers. In addition to being a peer leader, students must possess between a 2.0 and 3.5 GPA and plan on attending a West Virginia college or university.

”We’re pleased to invest in our future leaders by providing the resources they need to succeed,” said Alliance President and CEO Matt Ballard. “Scholarships afford these deserving students the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of going to college, when they would not likely be able to attend otherwise.”

Since the scholarship program implementation, the Charleston Area Alliance has awarded 16 scholarships to low-income high schools students throughout Kanawha County.

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