Four new scholarships have been created at the University of Georgia thanks to the George W. Strickland, Jr. Foundation.
The Foundation recently gifted $400,000 to UGA to establish additional Georgia Commitment Scholarships, need-based scholarship program that is open to first-year undergraduate students. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years (8 semesters) and comes with a variety of programs and resources to support student success.
The scholarships will be awarded in fall 2019, prioritizing students from 16 rural Georgia counties: Evans, Tattnall, Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Liberty, Toombs, Emanuel, Jenkins, Screven, Burke, Appling, Wayne, Glynn, Long and Effingham.
Through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program, the UGA Foundation will match—dollar for dollar—each of the four $100,000 scholarships to establish an endowed, need-based scholarship for undergraduate students.
The Strickland Scholarships attribute to the man the foundation was created to honor – Evans County native George W. “Jack” Strickland, Jr., a United States Army veteran and business owner in Claxton.
His company, Evans Concrete Products Company, was founded in 1948 and served each of the 16 counties named for priority under the new scholarships. Strickland, who died in 2010, “always credited his tremendous success to his dedicated employees and his loyal customers, but his personal leadership, vision, and commitment to the needs of individuals and families have significantly strengthened their opportunities and well-being,” according to a 2002 resolution adopted by the Georgia General Assembly.
According to the University of Georgia, the GCS program “aligns with the foundation’s passion to strengthen communities, provide opportunities for education, and inspire the next generation. Students receiving the Strickland Scholarships will not only receive a scholarship and tailored programming provided by the Division of Academic Enhancement, but also the opportunity to participate in the newly established ALL Georgia Program.”
You can learn more about the Georgia Commitment Scholarships here.
Jessica Szilagyi is a former Statewide Contributor for AllOnGeorgia.com.