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| Nancy Kluttz and her family have created the Nancy and William C. Kluttz Endowed Scholarship Fund at Southwestern Community College for nursing students with a passion for diabetes initiatives. Pictured is Nancy Kluttz (second from left), with scholarship recipient Evan Cann of Franklin (far left); daughter Gail Debnam (back); granddaughter Cori Cole (far right); great-granddaughter Stella Cole (center); great-grandson Sam Cole (bottom right); and “Rose,” Stella’s diabetic alert dog. |
While sitting with Nancy Kluttz and her family as she tells stories of her days as a nurse, it is evident she’s always had a passion for helping others.
“I loved my job as a nurse and I especially enjoyed taking care of the babies,” said Kluttz. “It felt good knowing how to help someone.”
This passion, along with witnessing the excellent care her late husband William received while in ICU, is what led her and her daughter Gail Debnam to start the Nancy and William C. Kluttz Endowed Scholarship Fund at Southwestern Community College for nursing students - particularly those with a passion for supporting diabetes initiatives.
Kluttz’s great-granddaughter Stella Cole has Type I Diabetes and was hospitalized in the PICU for several days before eventually being diagnosed. Stella now has a diabetic alert dog named Rose that accompanies her wherever she goes to alert her when her blood sugar numbers become out of range.
SCC nursing student Evan Cann of Franklin was chosen as the first scholarship recipient.
Cann got to sit down with Kluttz as she talked to him about the nursing profession and her experiences.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity,” said Cann. “Nursing is my passion, and this scholarship will enable me to continue helping others as I pursue my degree.”
Debnam and her husband Jack, both long-time supporters of SCC, are thrilled to know that Kluttz’s legacy will be one of helping students achieve success.
“Mom and I spoke several times about what she could do to create a legacy,” said Debnam. “With her nursing background, Dad having lots of medical care and now Stella receiving care for her Type I Diabetes, creating a scholarship endowment for students in the medical profession means a lot to our family.”
The endowment scholarship fund was created with Kluttz’s gift of $20,000 plus an additional $2,000 to be used as immediate awards before the fund begins to generate sufficient earnings to support scholarships.
To be considered for the scholarship, students must be attending SCC full-time and be pursuing an associates degree in nursing or the WNC RIBN degree and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Preference will be given to students with Type I Diabetes or with a passion for supporting diabetes initiatives.
“One of the highlights and privileges of my profession is that magical moment when a donor and their scholarship recipient first meet,” said Brett Woods, SCC Foundation director. “It is mystical and powerful. Mrs. Kluttz and Evan bonded immediately, and to see that in person was profound. We are grateful to Mrs. Kluttz and the Debnams for their vision to create a legacy that will help Evan and generations of students just like him.”
For more information about SCC and the Foundation, contact Woods at 828.339.4241 or b_woods@southwestern.cc.edu.
SCC, which has been ranked among the nation’s Top 10 community colleges three times in the past decade, offers more than 40 academic programs of study. To learn more about the college, visit www.southwesterncc.edu, call 828.339.4000 or drop by your nearest SCC location.
