News

Foundation awards scholarships worth $741,475. Here are the winners.

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 16, 2025

The Community Foundation of Henderson County has awarded 287 scholarships totaling $741,475 to students for the 2025-2026 school year.

After interviews and evaluations, the foundation’s Board of Directors approved 124 new scholarships totaling $284,825 to 119 local students and renewed 163 scholarships worth a total of $456,650.

“This year marked a welcome return to in-person interviews for the Scholarship Committee,” Donor Services Manager Rebekah Hobbs said. “Meeting so many incredible young people face-to-face gave us a deeper understanding of their unique talents and goals. Thanks to the generosity of our community’s donors, many of these students will now have the support they need to continue their education.”

For many students and their families, tuition cost is a key factor in deciding whether to pursue a college education. As costs rise, the reality is that many families are unable to afford higher education without financial assistance. By alleviating financial burdens, scholarships allow students to focus on their studies, participate in campus activities and gain valuable experience through internships, all of which contribute to their personal and professional growth.

This year, scholarship awards ranged from $500 to $10,000. Since 1984, Community Foundation of Henderson County’s Scholarship Program has awarded more than $8 million in aid to nearly 2,500 students.

Here are the 2025-2026 new scholarship recipients:

• William L. Arbuckle Memorial Scholarship from The Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited: Devin Raburn, Kyle Grundy
• William C. Armstrong Scholarship: Morgan McDermott
• Bryce A. Malsbary (BAM) Scholarship: Lila Feather, Jenna Grabowski, Gunner Marshall, Kajlynn McMillan, Bella Thomas
• Dan Barber, III/Western Auto Award: Addison Adams
• Millard Beal & Family Scholarship: Lillian Sutton
• Bright Futures Scholarship Fund: Logan Bartley, Jake DeBiase
• Business & Professional Women's Club Scholarship: Alexandra Pickard
• James Edward Brittain Scholarship Fund: Griffin Ayers
• Randall F. Brittain and Velma Gillespie Brittain Scholarship: Kinsey Martin
• Roger & Judy Hill Memorial for Mack Broutin Scholarship: Gabriel Dunbar
• Jay & Linda Casselberry Scholarship: Zetta Anderson
• CFHC General Scholarship: Katelyn Day
• John T. Coates IV Civil Engineering Scholarship: Alexander Bressler
• Lorina Culpepper Career in Nursing Scholarship: Cameron Bailey
• David and Betty Bucher Engineering Scholarship: Diego Ornelas
• David and Betty Bucher Nursing Scholarship: Allyson Garcia
• Jane and Tom Davis Healthcare Scholarship: Skyla Garner
• Denis Barton Scholarship Fund: Ava Gorman
• Jenice Schlein Denning Scholarship: Emma Otten
• Rita & Ray Dunk Accounting Scholarship: John Komperda
• Kermit Edney Scholarship Fund: Madeleine Cable
• Robert & Sandra Edwards Waggoner Memorial Scholarship: James Purtill
• Robert & Vivian Edwards Scholarship: Mia Shin
• Elizabeth DeVilling Environmental Odyssey Scholarship: Gabrielle LeClair
• Francis H. and Margery T. Escott Scholarship: Porter Allen
• Grace B. Etheredge Scholarship: Emily Phillips
• Grace B. Etheredge for BRCC Scholarship: Lucas Carpenter
• Louise Eaton Scholarship: Aaron Furstenberg
• Friends of Carl Sandburg Donald E. Hubbs Scholarship: McCrea Robinson
• Friends of Carl Sandburg Miles Sollom Scholarship: Jesse Jakubielski
• William Elliott Frye Memorial Scholarship: Alex Hannah
• Katharine Schneider Gettman Scholarship: Elijah Furr
• Maude and Harvey Goehring Scholarship: Abram Fletcher
• James P. Grey Scholarship: Megan Broome, Eli Clonch, Lincoln Knott
• Haddy Harrington Memorial Scholarship: Brooke Holbert
• John Brooks Williams Memorial Scholarship: Tatum Peterkin
• Arthur R. Hill Memorial Scholarship: Bryce Linden
• Joe T. Hunt Memorial Scholarship: Paul Pace
• E. and Juanita Johnson Scholarship for Agriculture: Andrew Lyda
• MLC Scholarship for Teaching Math: Abram Fletcher
• Elsie Mabel Jones Scholarship: Elizabeth Chambers
• Chat Jones Memorial Scholarship: Warren Schuler
• Donald D. and Joan B. Joyce Scholarship: Sofija Ruzich
• Eleanor M. Kutchoodon Scholarship: Hannah Ray
• Llyle and Marion S. Keith Scholarship: Campbell Riddle
• Anthony Kushigian (Normac) Scholarship: Alexander Acosta
• Ethel T. & Charles T. Larus Educational Scholarship: Kruesi Graham, Brayden Settle, Heather Wetzel
• Helen F. Lindner Educational Fund: Graham Painter
• Passage to the Future Scholarship Fund: Sara Kim
• Peggy Lovvorn Scholarship: Diamond Brown
• Mary Evelyn & Harry Laurent Scholarship: Noelle Houlihan, Madeline Hover, Keith Tran
• Elijah Endowment Scholarship: Joseph Franklin
• George F. and Asha W. McMillan Scholarship: Molly Claire Perry
• Lucile V. Means Scholarship: Chance Hicks
• Ralph A. Milliman Scholarship: Severin Thoresen
• Sam A. Mills Memorial Scholarship: Gabriela Magallan Aguilar
• Duane M. and Margaret D. McKibbin Fund: Vincent Franklin
• Paul & Linda Mulligan Scholarship for Business: Jimena Hernandez Hernandez, Hailey Hutchinson
• Bree Elizabeth Miller Memorial Scholarship: Kaelee Rushing
• Clyde T. and Wilma G. Moore Scholarship: Evelyn Martinez Perez
• Toby L. Mapes Fire Protection Technology Scholarship: Natalie Deault
• Maria's Fund Scholarship: Maryn Braddy
• Glenn C. Marlow Scholarship: Haley Littrell
• Mills River Fire & Rescue Scholarship: Josie Cox
• Matching Funds Scholarship: Eric Moreno Guevara
• Thomas Oliver & Louise Jordan Mulcahy Scholarship: Katherin Cid-Hernandez, Jazmin Gil-Zuniga, Holden Moore, Gracie Ramsey
• Hans and Margo Nagel Scholarship: Sofia Hernandez-Romo
  Pedro Torres-Mendez
• Hilary G. Neighbors General Scholarship: Brisa Munoz Hernandez
• Hilary G. Neighbors Medical Scholarship: Addison Adams
• Jan F. & Harry J. Nolan Women's Educational Scholarship: Sophie Husak, Helga Nielsen Scholarship, Ashley Monroy Patino, Jennifer Salas-Orihuela
• Dan and Amy Fisher Pace Scholarship: Brett LaRue
• Rebecca S. Poole Scholarship: Valerie Sherlin, Jamie Wright
• B. Prince Memorial Scholarship: Donovan Reyes
• John Paul Raywood Scholarship: Agnes Willis
• Vena Case Robinson Memorial Scholarship: Elizabeth Chambers
• Odell Rouse Memorial Scholarship: Maya Amin, James Buford
• Russell Boyd Thomas Scholarship: Eva Moore
• Vina L. & Richard C. Sauer Scholarship: Kaia Filipovic, Francisco Johnson, Angela Sanchez Pineda
• Martha Sales Schoch Scholarship: Kaedon Edwards
• Pat Shepherd Second Mile Scholarship: Alex Jacobs
• Kristen Sue Shetterly Memorial Scholarship: Valeria Colon Valero
• Sigrun M. Mapes Nursing Scholarship: Natalie Deault
• Andrea Davies Skillman Scholarship: Charlot Ann Jackson
• James Smith Memorial Scholarship: William Harmaning
• Janet Layne Spence Scholarship: Jaiden Ringle
• Arthur & Lois Jean Stuenkel Scholarship
  Thomas Deese
• George & Helen Stowell General Scholarship: Sophie Thomas
• George & Helen Stowell Medical Scholarship: Harry Davenport
• Kenneth R. Stull and Virginia M. Stull Scholarship: Alison Holbert
• Henderson County Educational Scholarship: Isabella Garcia-Lujon, Matthew Gentile
• Robert B. Tonjes Scholarship: Lilyan Barrett
• Tracy Grove Community Club Scholarship: Emalee Taylor
• Lucee Wallace Scholarship for Nursing Scholarship: Madisyn Shumway, Olivia Skinner
• Corbin O. Williams Memorial Scholarship: Mary Shelton
• Lula & Levi Wilson Scholarship: A'vonta Whitmire Jones
• Dirk and Paige Willms Scholarship: Tyler Nitsche
• John P. and Mary Ann Wold Scholarship Fund: Garrett Gordon, Isaiah Horn, Natali Ortuno Torres
• Gregory Stephen Wright "Crossroads" Scholarship: James Buford
• Winifred M. Wyman Memorial Scholarship: Olivia Brock