The Big Stone Gap Alumni and Buccaneer Scholarship Committee received the 2012 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy and attended a luncheon in Richmond in recognition of the honor. Committee Chair, Roger Daugherty, and committee member Jack Howard, as well as their wives, attended the event along with MECC Foundation President, Dr. Scott Hamilton. Other committee members who were not able to attend included George Litton, Bill Locke, Roy Laster, Charlene Cozart, and Nancey Edmonds Smith.
They were nominated for the award by Mountain Empire Community College in recognition of outstanding support of scholarships benefitting MECC students. This marks the seventh year the Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy has been given.
The Buccaneer Scholarship Committee has contacted all known alumni of the former Big Stone Gap High School to request gifts to the scholarship. Over 50 alumni have responded favorably to the fund-raising appeal and many are making annual gifts.
Big Stone Gap High School alumni have contributed over $150,000 in cumulative gifts and have awarded 31 renewable $1,500 Buccaneer Scholarships to MECC students. Students at Union High School who plan to attend Mountain Empire Community College after graduation are eligible to apply. The scholarship begins the academic term following graduation and can continue for two years.
The Buccaneer Scholarship Committee works with the MECC Foundation staff to secure student applications and identify recipients, as well as to raise the funds. The Buccaneer Scholarship Committee has already created three $30,000 endowed scholarships and has the goal of establishing six $30,000 endowed scholarships to enable the Buccaneer Scholarship to continue through perpetuity. The endowed scholarships honor family members and outstanding teachers from Big Stone Gap High School.
Fund-raising efforts are coordinated around the annual Big Stone Gap Reunion, which is attended by current and former Big Stone Gap residents who maintain a deep connection to the community. Student recipients are introduced at the reunion each year. At this year’s reunion on June 24, attendees will meet Andrew Beverly and Jessee Thomas, the 2012-2013 award recipients.
Picture Caption: Dr. Scott Hamilton, Pat Howard, Jack Howard, Debbie Daugherty, Roger Daugherty