Endowed Scholarship Created in Honor of Glenda Bailey
Glenda Bailey, wife of A-B Tech President K. Ray Bailey, reacts after discovering a Foundation Scholarship was created in her honor at the Foundation Scholarship luncheon March 30.
Glenda Bailey, wife of President K. Ray Bailey, came to the Foundation Scholarship luncheon believing she was there to see her husband receive an award; instead she was overwhelmed to discover a scholarship had been created in her honor.
Glenda's family created a scholarship for students of the Veterinary Medical Technology program at A-B Tech.
"She is obviously an animal lover," said Bailey, of his wife, after describing the various cats and dogs she had brought home through the years. "We help people change lives here at A-B Tech. We do it every day."
The Foundation first awarded six scholarships for the 2000-01 academic year. It was able to award 70 scholarships this year. "I can assure you our goal is to continue to provide scholarships for students," Bailey said.
"We have much to celebrate," said Daryl Hart, Foundation Board of Directors chair. "The Joseph Dave Scholarship was first endowed in 1997, and we now have 31 endowed scholarships. Team work has made this possible."
Osborne M. Hart Endowed Scholarship winner Ingrid Freeman expressed her gratitude for receiving a Foundation scholarship. "I feel as though I've already won the lottery. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of going to college, returning after 20 years," she said.
Scholarship winners honored were:
A-B Tech Foundation Scholarship $1,200
- Sarah Bennett
- Melanie Bullman
- Nikolas Franks
- Melissa Helms
- Heather Herrick
- Kathy Johnson
Altrusa International Scholarship $1,200
- Athena Elmore
GEM Fund, American Association of University Women Scholarship $500
- Jennifer Cole
ArvinMeritor Scholarship $1,000
- Thomas Carson
- Robert Mitchell
Patrick A. Brannen Construction Management Scholarship $1,200
- Christopher Shepherd
Children's Welfare League Endowed Scholarship $1,500
- Victoria Benson
- Beth Seagle
Marie Love Cochrane Endowed Scholarship $1,000
- William Becher
College Bridge Scholarship $1,200
- John Bigard
Dr. H. D. and Kay Crews Endowed Scholarship $1,200
- Julie Gebhardt
- Jenny Player
Joseph Dave Engineering Endowed Scholarship $1,200
- Sharon Smith
Ruth Denham Memorial Scholarship $1,200
- James Goodman
- Jennifer Riddle
Community Foundation of Kentucky Scholarship $1,000
- John Aikman
- James Kimp
- Tracy King
- Randal Metcalf
- Lewanda Miller
- Neal Smith
- Sandra Storey
- Dennis Westall
- Alyssa Whitman
- Grace Williams
Eaton Corporation Scholarship $1,000
- Amy Naymon
French Broad Garden Club Scholarship $1,500
- Sarah Schober
Johnathan Giardina Memorial Scholarship $1,000
- Belinda Hamlin
- Rhonda Kimbrough
Jessie Goforth Memorial Scholarship $840
- Darlene Clark
John and Leona Graham Scholarship $1,000
- Karen Jones
Lacy T. Haith and James V. Miller Endowed Scholarship $1,000
- Jerry Vernon
Osborne M. Hart Endowed Scholarship $1,200
- Ingrid Freeman
Hospitality Education Tips Scholarship $500
- Ashley Hawes
- Katie Hogan
Jessie Copp Kramer/Hominy Valley Endowed Scholarship $700
- Resia Morris
Mt. Renaissance Adventure Faire $500
- Sharon Smith
North Buncombe Extension Community Association Scholarship $608
- Anne White
North Carolina Retired School Personnel Scholarship $500
- Christopher Fagan
North Carolina State Trust Fund Scholarship $1,200
- Mary Barnette
- Isolde Curry
- Stephanie Pressley
Phi Theta Kappa $250
- Kathy Johnson
Grace Joan Love Schneider Endowed Scholarship $1,200
- Amber Aderhold
- Deanna Buchanan
- John Davis
- Amanda Looney
- Nicole O'Leary
- Charles Worley
State Employees Credit Union Scholarship $5,000
- David Costner
- Amanda Crompton
Christiana Glenn Tugman Scholarship $1,000
- Scott Schuffler
UnitedHealthcare Endowed Scholarship $500
- Jonathan Bentley
Volvo Construction Equipment Technical Scholarship $1,000
- Albert Boyer
- Jason Henderson
- Rodney Ogle
Cristy West Memorial Scholarship $570
- Victoria Benson
Don and Barbara Whitaker Scholarship $1,000
- Lydia Scott
- Ashari Dimera
- Bonnie Turner
Oliver Creates AVL Technologies Scholarship
A-B Tech's Foundation received a gift of $50,000 from Jim Oliver, owner of AVL Technologies in appreciation for the opportunities the college provided him for the company.
The donation will be used to create the AVL Endowed Scholarship with the foundation.
When Oliver started his business to produce mobile satellite antenna systems, he wanted to focus on perfecting the product, and not hunt for real estate. He also wanted to work with the faculty of A-B Tech's engineering division.
In 1998, the college provided space in the Maple Building, so Oliver could start focusing on his product rather than worrying about finding a building and signing a long-term lease. As his business grew, his need for space increased as well. Eventually, he rented commercial space and hired five employees. He now has 75 employees and revenue of $20 million this past year.
"Jim Oliver of AVL Technologies is the consummate community partner," said Anita Metcalf, Foundation Executive Director. "A-B Tech met the needs of this business in its formative years. Now that Mr. Oliver is the owner of a successful and flourishing company, he remembers this service by creating the AVL Endowed Scholarship with the A-B Tech Foundation. We appreciate Mr. Oliver's generosity."
AVL Technologies was the first successful small business incubation at A-B Tech. The business designs and manufactures mobile satellite antenna systems typically used for live satellite broadcasts from television news trucks.
New UNC System President Visits A-B Tech
Dr. Connie Buckner, director of A-B Tech's Madison Campus, presents Erskine Bowles, president of the University of the North Carolina System, with a box filled with Madison County farm products during Bowles' visit to A-B Tech April 19.
Exactly one week after he was inaugurated as the sixth president of the University of North Carolina System, Erskine Bowles told officials from A-B Tech and two other Western North Carolina community colleges he is committed to eliminating as many barriers as possible between the state's two-year and four-year institutions.
"My first love is ... and was ... for community colleges," Bowles said during a brief meeting in the College's Simpson Conference Room with administrators from A-B Tech, Haywood and Southwestern. "I believe our future economic well-being is here."
Bowles was accompanied by N.C. State University Chancellor James Oblinger during the visit, arranged by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Cooperative Extension provides citizens with access to the resources and expertise of N.C. State and N.C. A&T through educational programs, publications, and events.
Bowles applauded a partnership between A-B Tech's Madison Campus and the Madison Extension Agency designed to transition farmers from their traditional cash crop, tobacco, to more sustainable agricultural products. Through the collaboration, A-B Tech and the extension agency have offered courses on such topics as landscaping, greenhousing, and marketing. The extension agency has held more than 1,000 events at the Madison Campus, and A-B Tech carpentry students framed out the building that serves as the agency's new home.
"That's wonderful," Bowles said. "That's the way it should be."
Max Queen, vice president of Continuing Education, told Bowles about Blue Ridge Food Ventures, a commercial kitchen housed in former warehouse space at A-B Tech's Enka Campus. "This is another way of helping local farmers Š. We're trying to encourage them to take their products and give them a longer shelf life."
Officials also discussed the need for increased transferability of applied science courses from community colleges to four-year institutions, with Dr. Sharon Morrissey noting that A-B Tech recently signed its first-ever associate of applied science articulation agreement with UNC Asheville, in digital media technology.