Scholarships

SCC Foundation Scholarships:

The following is a brief description of scholarship programs for SCC students. Scholarships are gift money that does not need to be repaid as long as the student meets the eligibility criteria. Scholarships may be awarded based on financial need or some type of merit (such as academic), or a combination of the two. The Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) is also required for many scholarship applications.

An alphabetical list of scholarships available through Southwestern Community College Foundation and other donors that have contacted us are listed below. Click on the scholarship title for more details. Students are encouraged to review the list to identify any scholarships they might be eligible for. Flip through the links by using the arrows at the bottom of the sidebar. Please realize that in addition to the information in the descriptions, there may be eligibility requirements beyond those mentioned below. For complete scholarship and application information, you may come by the Financial Aid Office located in the Balsam Center or contact us at 828.339.4207 or 800.447.4091, ext. 4207. To apply for scholarships, visit https://www.southwesterncc.awardspring.com. The SCC scholarship application portal opens on February 1st. The deadline is typically in mid-April.

The Financial Aid Office may receive scholarships throughout the academic year. Please continue to check your student email or come by the Financial Aid Office for new scholarship information. Should funding for any scholarship become unavailable, that scholarship will not be awarded during the upcoming academic year.

Scholarship Web Searches:
The following are a few of the many search engines for scholarships known to us. We recommend that you always read all the details before you provide your personal information, and be sure you are willing to accept the provider’s terms and conditions. Remember: never pay anyone to help you find free financial aid.

Every year, the North Carolina Community College System provides information about scholarships across the state through a yearly Scholarship Guide. Students are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office if they are interested in any scholarships in the guide.

Outside Scholarships:
Students are encouraged to pursue scholarship opportunities throughout their communities, from groups such as civic organizations and churches, and to research other national scholarships through reputable organizations and web sites. There are many organizations and agencies that offer scholarship information. SCC provides links to scholarship opportunities as a service to our students. SCC does not offer the scholarships, and has no responsibility for or involvement in the scholarship administration, selection and award processes. If you have questions about outside scholarships, please contact the company offering them. To view the outside scholarships we’re currently aware of, please click here.

Scholarships

  • Preference for students in a Career Technology or Health Sciences Program
  • Preference for students enrolled in a two-year program
  • Preference for students with a 2.5 GPA or better
  • Applicants must be enrolled full-time
  • Applicants must be accepted into an AAS degree in the Health Sciences Academic programs or the WNC RIBN Nursing program
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA or better
  • Applicants must be pursuing an associate degree in Teacher Preparation or Emergency Medical Sciences
  • Applicants must be enrolled at least three-quarter time
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.75 GPA or better
Couple pose in black & white photo

Up until his death in 2012 at the age of 79, Alvin Kinkaid literally helped change Jackson County’s landscape by discovering ideal construction sites that preserved the mountains’ natural beauty.

To honor his memory, Mr. Kinkaid’s wife, Virginia, has endowed a scholarship fund that will help students find their own potential in years to come.

The Alvin Norton Kinkaid memorial scholarship is awarded annually to a student in Southwestern Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training program. Following are the criteria for applicants.

  • Students must be enrolled in the Basic Law Enforcement Training program at SCC
  • Preference for students with financial need
  • Preference for students living in Jackson, Swain or Macon counties

And here’s a little more info about the man for whom this scholarship is named.

Throughout his five-decade career as a land developer and general contractor, Alvin Kinkaid could look at a mountain and immediately visualize its possibilities.

Up until his death in 2012 at the age of 79, he literally helped change Jackson County’s landscape by discovering ideal construction sites that preserved the mountains’ natural beauty.

To honor his memory, Mr. Kinkaid’s wife, Virginia, has endowed a scholarship fund that will help students find their own potential in years to come.

The Alvin Norton Kinkaid memorial scholarship is awarded annually to a student in Southwestern Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training program.

“With any piece of land, he had the ability to see what could be,” Virginia Kinkaid recalled earlier this week. “One time he took me up to look at a piece of property, and the weeds were taller than I was. He said, ‘This is going to be Horseshoe Cove. Can you see such and such?’ And I’d say ‘Alvin, all I see are a bunch of weeds.’ But he always had the ability to see what could be.”

Mrs. Kinkaid said the idea for memorializing her husband through an SCC scholarship arose during a phone conversation with a friend, Anita Hall.

Hall’s husband, David, had served as a sheriff’s deputy with the Kinkaids’ son, Al Jr.

“I told Anita that I wanted to set up some kind of fund in Alvin’s name, but I didn’t know what to do,” Mrs. Kinkaid recalled. “I was thinking forestry or the fire department because of the land connection. David was in the background, and he asked, ‘Why not law enforcement?’ Alvin supported law enforcement, and Al Jr. just retired after more than 30 years with the sheriff’s department.”

The suggestion immediately resonated with Mrs. Kinkaid, so she discussed it with her son then put in a call to Jackson County sheriff Jimmy Ashe.

Ashe put her in touch with representatives of the SCC Foundation, who helped her get the scholarship endowed.

 “We are thrilled that Mrs. Kinkaid chose this scholarship as a way to pay tribute to her husband’s legacy,” said Mary Otto Selzer, who oversaw the SCC Foundation at the time of the scholarship’s endowment. “For years to come, students who might not otherwise be able to attend college will have the opportunity to realize their own potential thanks to the Kinkaid family’s generosity.”

  • Applicant must reside in Jackson, Macon, Swain counties or the Qualla Boundary
  • Applicants must be enrolled in the Culinary Arts Program
  • Applicants must have demonstrated financial need
  • Applicants must have an maintain a 3.0 GPA
  • Applicants must be pursuing a degree in Automotive Systems Technology
  • Recipient must have an incoming GPA of at least 2.5 and maintain a 3.0 GPA or better within the Automotive Systems Technology curriculum
  • Preference is given for students from all Western North Carolina counties from Haywood County westward
  • The recipient is encouraged to visit Andy Shaw Ford to meet leadership team

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry M. Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate.

The purpose of the Foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields.

Apply online at www.act.org/goldwater

  • Applicants must be a full-time student pursuing an Associate Degree or a College Transfer degree in Nursing
  • Preference is given to single parents who are permanent residents of Jackson County
  • Applicants must have an maintain a 3.0 GPA
  • Applicant must be enrolled full time
  • Applicant must have a 3.0 gpa or higher
  • Preference for applicants in the Paralegal, Criminal Justice or Cyber Crime Technology programs
  • Applicant must be enrolled full time
  • Applicant must have a 3.0 gpa or higher
  • Applicant may be pursuing any Associate Degree
In 2016, Catch the Spirit of Appalachia (CSA) established an endowed scholarship through the Southwestern Community College Foundation. Pictured from left to right are: Doreyl Ammons Cain of Catch the Spirit; Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC; and Amy Ammons Garza of Catch the Spirit.

The local non-profit heritage group “Catch the Spirit of Appalachia (CSA)” has established a $15,000 endowed scholarship through the Southwestern Community College Foundation.

CSA gave an $11,000 gift for the scholarship in April 2016 and raised the remaining $4,000 at the group’s 10th annual fundraising dinner held on Sept. 27, 2016. Cofounders Doreyl Ammons Cain and Amy Ammons Garza presented the check to SCC President Dr. Don Tomas and SCC Foundation Director Brett Woods.

“We are honored to create this endowed scholarship with Catch the Spirit of Appalachia,” said Brett Woods, director of the SCC Foundation. “This is a wonderful opportunity to help students continue to preserve and honor the heritage of the mountains through their education at SCC.”

This scholarship was created by the CSA board of directors and founders to help SCC students preserve the Appalachian traditions of the area.

“The scholarship has also been established in memory of those who have been role models in our community: Elmer and Irene Hooper, Mary Jane Queen, Cannie Owen Ammons, Wayne Cobb, Paul Chancellor, Ethel Roper Welch, Gladys Dills Owenby and many others,” said cofounder Amy Ammons-Garza. “It is our hope that this CSA Endowed Scholarship through Southwestern Community College will provide a lasting remembrance of our heritage to our youth.”

When selecting recipients, priority will be given to SCC students studying arts and the environment.

“We are so grateful to Catch the Spirit of Appalachia for establishing this endowed scholarship with SCC,” said Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC. “This scholarship will help students preserve Appalchian history through their studies at SCC for years to come.”

CSA was founded by Cain and Garza in 1989 to teach local children about mountain music, art and storytelling. CSA became a 501(c)3 nonprofit heritage organization in 1991.

Following are criteria for applying for this scholarship:

  • Applicant must have financial need
  • Applicant must have completed a FAFSA
  • Applicant must be a degree seeking student
  • Applicant must have a 2.5 or higher GPA
  • Applicant must be carrying 12 credit hours or more
  • Applicants must reside in Cashiers/Glenville/Sapphire area
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA
  • Applicants must be pursuing an associate degree in nursing
  • Preference for students in the RIBN program
  • Applicants must be enrolled three quarter time or more
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 3.0gpa or better
  • Preference will be given to new applicants ever year

Preference will be given to those students who are honorably discharged veterans of the US Armed Forces. 

Ask anyone who knew Charlie McConnell well, and they’ll tell you he was all heart.

CharlieMcConnell2

That’s why the Sylva Rotary Club endowed a scholarship through the Southwestern Community College Foundation in memory of the former Jackson County superintendent, who devoted much of his post-retirement years to making a college education more accessible for high school students.

Specifically, he helped former SCC president Barry Russell establish the New Century Scholars program that has been providing last-dollar tuition assistance for deserving students from Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties to attend SCC.

“When he retired, he could have been content that he’d done a lot of great things in his career and just taken it easy – but he wasn’t a guy to just sit down,” said Kenny Nicholson, president of the Sylva Rotary Club and a longtime friend of McConnell’s. “He would have been so pleased that we’re helping children in his name.”

The Sylva Rotary Club raised more than $15,000 through donations and fundraisers to endow the “Charlie McConnell Scholarship,” which will be awarded for the first time this fall. McConnell was a past president of the Sylva Rotary Club.

“Charlie’s legacy will live on every time a young person earns a college degree through New Century Scholars and this newly endowed scholarship,” said Mary Otto Selzer, director of the SCC Foundation.

Ruth McConnell, Charlie’s wife of 46 years, said: “The scholarship is quite a compliment to Charlie. It’s really special to me, and our children (Greg McConnell, Jeff McConnell and Kristy Bullock) have taken a big interest in it too.”

Nicholson, a longtime principal for Jackson County Schools, said he’s known McConnell since their high school years when Nicholson attended Sylva-Webster and McConnell was at Cullowhee High.
Their friendship flourished through their time working together in the school system.

“One thing I really enjoyed about working with Charlie was the way his first thought on anything would always be about what he could do to help the kids,” said Nicholson, a longtime educator and former principal for Jackson County Schools. “Don’t get me wrong; he was also very concerned about the well-being of our teachers and staff. But he also knew that without the kids, none of us (teachers, administrators) would have been there.”

Following are criteria necessary to apply for the scholarship given in memory and honor of Charlie McConnell, a lifelong educator, who was instrumental in creating the New Century Scholars program.

  • Applicants must be seeking an associate degree. 
  • Preference will be given to students with a demonstrated history of community service. 
  • Preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need, not otherwise covered by grants and/or scholarships. 
  • No GPA or enrollment requirements.
  • Applicants must be be enrolled at least three-quarter time
  • Applicants must be pursuing an associate degree in the Health Sciences
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA or better
  • Applicants must reside in Swain, Macon, Jackson County or the Qualla Boundary
  • Preference is given to students with demonstrated financial need
  • Preference for a student with demonstrated financial need entering Nursing School with a minimum GPA of 3.0
Three men and a woman pose for a photo inside a building on SCC's Jackson Campus.

Phil Haire (second from left) and Dr. Connie Haire (third from left) recently endowed a scholarship through the SCC Foundation. They are shown here with Dr. Don Tomas (left), president of SCC, and Brett Woods (right), director of the SCC Foundation.

During her 25 years of overseeing the Southwestern Community College Foundation, Dr. Connie M. Haire had the privilege of seeing just how significantly scholarship funding could impact a student’s life.

Now retired, she and her husband – former N.C. Rep. Phil Haire – have ensured many more lives will be changed for the better.

The Haires, who reside in Sylva, set up the Connie M. Haire Endowed Scholarship fund in 2017.

“Phil and I wanted to provide for student support for many years to come, and we wanted to set up an endowment that would provide scholarships in perpetuity,” Dr. Haire said. “Since retiring six years ago, I have seen the growth in programs and student success, and I want to be part of that going forward. This scholarship endowment allows me to continue to be a part of the SCC family.”

Dr. Haire served in a variety of roles at SCC before retiring in 2011 as vice president of the Macon Campus and institutional development. She previously served as vice president for student and institutional development (1995-2005), dean for institutional development (1997-99) and director of resource development (1986-97).

Throughout her time with the college, she oversaw the SCC Foundation.

“Very few people have spent more time than Dr. Haire has over the years working to help our students through the SCC Foundation,” said Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC. “She knows as well as anyone how much an endowed scholarship can mean to current and future students. On behalf of our students, I am extremely grateful that the Haires have endowed this scholarship in her name.”

During Dr. Haire’s tenure, then-president Dr. Barry Russell and the late Dr. Charles McConnell – who was then superintendent of Jackson County Schools – founded the New Century Scholars program. Funded solely by private gifts, New Century Scholars provides last-dollar tuition for deserving students in Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties.

Dr. Haire immediately became a strong advocate and leader in helping raise funds for the program, which has touched hundreds of area families and is still thriving today.

“I had a wonderful career at Southwestern, and I had the opportunity to work in many different areas of the college – all of which were related to support for students and programming,” Dr. Haire said. “Of the many initiatives we began, one of the most rewarding is New Century Scholars. It is wonderful to see how it’s continuing to help young students and their families.”

Following is criteria for applying for this scholarship:

  • Applicant must be enrolled 3/4 time or more

For more information about endowed scholarships or other giving opportunities at SCC, visit www.southwesterncc.edu/foundation, call 828.339.4227 or write a_kaserman@southwesterncc.edu.

  • Must be actively seeking a degree in the Culinary Arts Program.
  • Must be enrolled full-time.
  • Must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better.
  • Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher
  • Applicants must have completed 50% of their program credits
  • The purpose of this scholarship is to provide a “hand up” to students who demonstrate academic promise, grit and determination in continuing their education
  • Applicants must be pursuing a degree in Respiratory Therapy, Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy programs
  • Preference shall be given to non-traditional students
  • Applicants must be pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher
  • Must live within a 150 mile radius of SCC.
  • Must be interested in arts and crafts of the traditional mountain heritage.
  • Open to both full and part-time students.
  • Must be a resident of Jackson or Swain Counties, including the Qualla Boundary
  • Must be seeking a Business Administration degree with plans to pursue a career in the local tourism industry
  • Must maintain a 2.5 GPA
  • Available to full-time or part-time students
  • Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required for that award year
  • Must be a resident of Jackson or Swain Counties, including the Qualla Boundary
  • Must be enrolled in a surveying degree program with plans to pursue a career in the local surveying industry
  • Must maintain a 2.5 GPA
  • Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

This scholarship is open to all students

  • Applicant must be a Physical Therapy Assistant student in their second year
  • Recipient selected will be the student with the highest gpa based on scores in the program
  • Open to all students who might have some assistance from parents, a scholarship or other sources of revenue but still not have sufficient financial assistance to remain in school
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Well-dressed couple stands outdoors

Marion & Dr. Naqui El-Bayadi

Southwestern Community College’s health science programs benefit from a scholarship endowment made by Dr. and Mrs. Nagui El-Bayadi. The late Dr. El-Bayadi, a retired surgeon with our local hospital, and his wife, Marion, established this scholarship to provide deserving students from Jackson, Macon and Swain counties financial assistance with their education.

Dr. El-Bayadi was a physician in this community from 1969-2001, and he served on SCC’s Foundation Board from 2002-2005. Through his generosity and commitment to his community, students in health care programs at Southwestern will have an opportunity to receive financial assistance.

SCC offers 13 degrees in the health science fields, including nursing, radiography, medical laboratory technology and respiratory therapy, among others.

To be eligible for this scholarships, applicants:

  • Must be seeking a degree in a health science program.
  • Must have financial need as evidenced by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.
  • May be either a full-time or half-time student.
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the FAFSA.

Here’s a little more info about the wonderful people who made this scholarship possible:

Dr. Naqui El-Bayadi knew from an early age that he wanted to be a doctor. Growing up in Cairo, Egypt, he obtained his medical degree at Ain-Shams University in Cairo, completing a one year internship and two years of residency before moving to Isle of Wight, England where he worked in the Senior House Office in Surgery at St. Mary’s Hospital.

He relocated to Salisbury, England in 1960 to complete another residency at the Salisbury District Hospital. There Dr. El-Bayadi enjoyed success as a plastic surgeon and met his future wife, Marion, a registered nurse at the same hospital. In 1963, the couple relocated to Philadelphia, Penn., where Dr. El-Bayadi completed a year-long internship in general surgery at the Internship Graduate Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania.

They relocated again to Baltimore, Maryland in 1964 where Dr. El-Bayadi completed his residency at the VA Hospital before finally moving to Sylva, North Carolina in 1969 where Dr. El-Bayadi opened a private practice in general surgery. He was on the surgical staff at C.J. Harris Hospital, moving to the position of post chief of surgery when C.J. Harris Hospital became Harris Regional Hospital. He operated his private practice through 2004, before passing away in 2005.

His work was his hobby. Dr. El-Bayadi proudly served on the Southwestern Community College Foundation Board of Directors from 2002 until his passing in April of 2005. Dr. El-Bayadi was very active in the Sylva Rotary Club as well as St. John’s Episcopal Church of Sylva. Dr. El-Bayadi leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Marion El-Bayadi, two daughters and four granddaughters.

The El-Bayadi Family Scholarship was endowed in 2003 to assist students from Jackson, Macon, and Swain Counties as well as the Qualla Boundary, who are pursuing careers in the medical field, with a preference for students who wish to stay in the area after graduation.

Three men sit at a board room table; man in center signs document.

ABOVE: From left to right, Brett Woods, Tyler Cook and Dr. Don Tomas sign the paperwork to endow the Eva McCall Memorial scholarship.
BELOW: Macon County resident Emily Pignona was the first recipient of this scholarship in 2018.

Young lady sits on a bench outside the Groves Center in Franklin.

For SCC employee and Macon County native Tyler Cook, his aunt’s lasting legacy was a cause worthfighting for.

Cook’s great aunt, Eva McCall, was a Macon county native, a beautician by trade and an author with passion. She wrote several novels throughout her life, publishing her first in 1997, even inspiring Cook to become an author himself.

“Endowing this scholarship is just a small way to honor Eva, who did more for me than I could ever repay her for,” said Cook.

At the time of McCall’s passing in November 2017, Cook and his family decided the best way to honor his great aunt would be to create a scholarship in her name dedicated to helping aspiring writers get their education.
“The day of her memorial service was the day we decided to create the scholarship,” said Cook. “It took off pretty quickly from there; a GoFundMe page was created, and we campaigned on social media. We also mailed out hundreds of letters to Eva’s family and friends, which wouldn’t have been possible without my grandmother, Susie Stanley, and her connections.”

The first recipient of the scholarship was Macon County resident Emily Pignona, chosen in June for the 2018-2019 school year.

“We admire Tyler for his determination in making this scholarship happen,” said Brett Woods, director of the SCC Foundation. “It’s important to share his story because it goes to show how just one determined person can make a difference in the lives of students. This scholarship will help students for years to come.”

  • Applicant must have a 3.0 gpa or higher
  • Applicant may be pursuing any Associate Degree
  • Applicant may not have any behavioral sanctions in place at time of award

This scholarship/loan program is offered through the College Foundation of North Carolina. A scholarship/loan means that although it is technically a loan, if you follow the rules and obligations of the program, the amount is forgiven through service and thus becomes a scholarship. 
The Forgivable Education Loans for Service (FELS) consists of the repackaging of several former NC scholarship/loan programs into one program. FELS provides financial assistance to qualified students who are committed to working in North Carolina in fields designated as critical employment shortage areas. These programs are related to teaching, allied health, nursing and medicine programs. This replaces and consolidates some former programs such as the Nursing Scholars scholarship loan Program (NSP), Nurse Education Scholarship Loan Program (NESLP), Prospective Teachers Scholarship Loan (PTSL), and Health, Science & Math (HSM). 
Application deadlines may vary.
For more information and to apply go to: http://www.cfnc.org/FELS. 

  • Criminal Justice students only
  • Preference will be given to Jackson County residents but Macon and Swain County residents are eligible to apply
  • Must show academic achievement (have and maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA)
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Must be a permanent resident of one of the 78 eligible counties as designated by the Golden Leaf Foundation.
  • Demonstrate a financial need under federal TRIO formula.
  • Will be required to disclose all other financial assistance. 
  • Requires at least half-time enrollment for a full award.

Finalists who meet all the above eligibility requirements will undergo a separate “merit” competition. The selection will be based on:

  • The effect of the decline in the tobacco industry on his/her family 
  • The effect of the declining economy on his/her family 
  • Academic record 
  • Overall evaluation of the application 
  • Leadership and community service 

For additional information and application, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

  • Be currently enrolled at a North Carolina community college
  • Be a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes (1 year minimum of consecutive residency)
  • Transfer to one of the state’s public universities in the fall (list is available in the Financial Aid Office)
  • Reside in one of the 78 eligible counties
  • Demonstrate financial need (complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid [FAFSA])
  • Present a strong record of academic achievement – GPA 3.0 or above
  • Must not be in default on a student loan

Information and applications are available online at www.CFNC.org/goldenleaf

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be enrolled full-time (12 credit hours) at Southwestern Community College.
  • Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Open to students who might have some assistance from parents, a scholarship, or other sources of revenue but still not have sufficient financial assistance to remain in school.
  • Amount of scholarship subject to change
  • Preference for applicants from Swain County with a second preference for students from Jackson County
  • Preference will be given to applicants with financial need
  • Preference will be given to students pursuing a degree in Welding, Culinary or Electronic Engineering Technology
  • Open to residents of Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Cherokee Indian Reservation
  • Must be degree seeking
  • Must be full time (12 hours)
  • Must have/maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA or better
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Applicants must be pursuing a certificate, diploma or associate degree
  • Applicants must be from Jackson County
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher
  • Must be seeking an associate degree in Early Childhood Education or plan to obtain a bachelor degree in elementary education.
  • Must be enrolled full-time.
  • Must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA.
  • Preference for students from Macon County.
  • Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required for that award year.

For more info on this Scholarship, click here.

  • Selection of recipients of this award shall be made according to the following criteria:
  • Preference will be given to candidates who graduated from a Jackson County, North Carolina, school
  • Must be affiliated (a member or immediate family member) with the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.
  • Candidates shall be considered on the basis of their overall academic merit, financial need, and civic involvement
  • Recipients must be accepted and enrolled at Southwestern Community College as full-time, degree-seeking students
  • Recipients must be in good standing with Southwestern Community College – must maintain 2.0 cumulative GPA
  • Preference will be given to new students each year; however, renewals will be considered
  • Must file Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • The James Therlo Herron Memorial Scholarship is open to students seeking a degree in Surveying Technology. Preference will be given to Swain County residents.
  • Must have and maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA
  • Open to full-time and part-time students.
  • Must have applied for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required for that award year
  • Open to students in degree or certificate programs related to the preparation for caring for individuals at home.
  • Must have and maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Must be a Jackson County New Century Scholar in good standing.
  • Must be seeking an associate degree.
  • Must have and maintain a 2.0 GPA.
  • Must have financial need.
  • Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required for that award year.
Couple poses for a photo inside their home

Shirley & Jim Beasley

Over the final days of Jim Beasley’s life, family members took note of the kindness and caring shown by SCC students as they made their clinical rounds this past summer at Harris Regional Hospital.

“It seemed like every other person who came in his room was an SCC student,” recalled Jenny Holland, Beasley’s niece. “Whether it was for an X-ray, the ventilator, to draw blood or something else, the SCC students were so kind and so compassionate. Even if Uncle Jim wasn’t conscious, they would gently pat him and talk to him. You could just see they cared.”

To honor Jim and his wife Shirley – and to help future SCC health sciences students – the family has endowed the Jim and Shirley Beasley Health Sciences Endowed Scholarship Fund.

The principal will remain untouched in perpetuity while a portion of the earnings from the investment of the fund will be made available to support SCC health sciences students pursuing an associate or WNC RIBN (Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses) degree.

“We are pleased and very humbled that the family chose to honor Jim and Shirley Beasley in this way,” said Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC. “It’s great to hear positive reports about how our health sciences students and graduates conduct themselves when they’re in a clinical setting, and I know so much of the credit for that goes to our faculty and staff.”

SCC currently has 14 health sciences programs and is in the process of planning a new health sciences building.

Once that building is completed, SCC will be able to accept more health sciences students than ever – so the new scholarship is particularly timely.

“Aunt Shirley and Uncle Jim helped a lot of people over the years,” Holland said. “We feel good about helping people with a scholarship in their names. When we help students in SCC’s health sciences programs, we feel like we’re helping each other because at some point we’ll all need help from medical professionals.

“Our family would like to thank everyone who donated to the scholarship in Uncle Jim’s memory,” Holland added.

Following are criteria necessary to apply for this scholarship:

  • Applicant must be seeking an AAS Degree or WNC RIBN Degree in Health Sciences 
  • Applicant must have a 3.0 or higher GPA\

For more about this scholarship, click here.

  • Applicant must have a 3.0 or higher GPA
  • Applicant must have financial need
  • Applicant must be enrolled full time or part time
  • Applicant must have completed a FAFSA
  • Applicants must have demonstrated financial need
  • Applicants must be enrolled in the National Park Service (NPS) program full time and successfully complete the program to be eligible
  • Applicants must be pursuing an associate degree in the Health Sciences or College Transfer in Health Sciences
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 3.0gpa or better
  • Preference shall be given to a student enrolled in three quarter time or more
  • Preference for residents of Jackson County, NC
  • Must be a resident of Macon County
  • Must demonstrate scholastic ability
  • Must demonstrate leadership ability
  • Must demonstrate financial need
  • Must successfully complete the first semester of RN nursing courses
  • Submission of written application (available in Financial Aid Office)
  • Submission of 4 (four) sealed letters of reference.

For more information or applications, contact the Financial Aid Office or visit www.nccommunityfoundation.org

This scholarship is open to all SCC students

  • Applicant must be a degree seeking student
  • Applicant must be currently enrolled in the Radiography, AAS Degree Program
  • Applicant must be carrying 12 credit hours or more
  • Applicants must be enrolled at least three-quarter time
  • Applicants must be pursuing either an associate degree or Diploma
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.65 GPA or better

Must be enrolled in the Basic Law Enforcement Training program at SCC.

  • Applicant must be enrolled full time (or if less than 12 hours, but taking full component of Nursing classes)
  • Applicant must have a 3.0 gpa or higher 
  • Applicant must be in the Nursing or RIBN program
  • Applicants must be pursuing a certificate, degree or diploma
  • Applicants must be enrolled full time
  • Applicants must demonstrate financial need
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.0gpa or better
  • Open to students in a high-demand, low-enrollment program (to be selected and announced annually) with financial need as incentive to enter, progress, succeed in, and complete the program
  • Must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (2.0 GPA and completion of at least 70% of attempted credit hours)
  • Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Preference will be given to residents of Macon County who are single parents, who have income of less than Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) per annum, and who are enrolled or plan to enroll in the college in a course of study in one of the trades or in the medical field.
  • Based on funds available, if suitable students meeting all of the criteria set forth above are not available, preference will be given to those students meeting some but not all of the criteria.
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

   Please note that it is the donor’s wish for the scholarship award to be used exclusively for tuition and fees.  If you should receive payment for tuition and fees from a third party then you will not qualify for this scholarship.

  • Must be a resident of Jackson, Macon or Swain Counties, including the Qualla Boundary
  • Seeking to complete a degree program at SCC after obtaining their GED
  • Must have and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or better
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Must be a resident of Jackson, Macon or Swain Counties, including the Qualla Boundary
  • Seeking to complete a degree program at SCC after obtaining their GED
  • Must have and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or better
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Must be actively seeking a degree in the Nursing program at SCC.
  • Must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better while attending SCC. High school transcript must be submitted with general application used by the community college.
  • Preference for applicant who is non-traditional student with small children.
  • Applicant must be a native of Jackson County.
  • Demonstrate financial need (complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid [FAFSA])
  • Priority will be given to students who receive little or no financial aid.
  • Must be enrolled 11 or more hours.
  • Open to students who have completed at least one full year towards a Radiography degree.
  • Applicants must be enrolled full-time (12 credit hours) in the Radiologic Technology Program with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
  • Must demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Priority given to students who are challenged by a Learning Disability or Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Priority given to applicants who reside in either Jackson or Swain Counties
  • Requires cumulative GPA of 2.0
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
hoopers_short20copy

Robert & Freda Hooper had some very personal reasons for setting up a scholarship that will help current and future students succeed at Southwestern Community College.

The scholarship they endowed through the SCC Foundation is open to students enrolled in SCC’s radiography and medical sonography programs. Following is a list of criteria:

  • Open to all Radiology and Medical Sonography students with priority given to Radiology students
  • Must demonstrate scholastic promise and ambition and maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Here’s a little background on the Hoopers and the reasons why they wanted to help our students:

Robert (Bob), as everyone called him, was born in Haywood County in 1937. He graduated from Waynesville Township High School in 1955 and from Wake Forest University in 1959.

After graduation, Bob worked at Champion in Waynesville until he was accepted at Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Some local friends helped pay his tuition and allowed him to pay them back without interest after he graduated.

Immediately after his graduation from medical school in 1964, he married Freda Breece and began his internship with the U.S. Army at Brooke General Hospital, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. After a three year residency in Radiology, Dr. Hooper was sent to Womack Army Hospital, Fort Bragg, NC where he served as the Chief of Radiology from August 1968 to 1970.

Robert20Hooper 220copy

In 1970, he was deployed to the 85th Evacuation Hospital in Vietnam where he served as the Chief of Radiology until his discharge in 1971.While serving in Vietnam, Dr. Hooper was awarded the Bronze Star. Upon his discharge from the US Army, Dr. Hooper returned home to Haywood County. Shortly after his return, he was contacted by area hospitals that were in dire need of his services. Dr. Hooper worked at Haywood County Hospital, Swain County Hospital, Cherokee Indian Hospital, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, District Memorial Hospital in Andrews and Harris Hospital in Sylva where he served as Chief of Radiology from 1971-1991. During that time, he was instrumental in establishing the Radiology program at Southwestern Community College and served on the Radiologic Technology Advisory Committee for several years. Mrs. Freda Hooper was also born in Haywood County in 1940 and, like her husband, graduated from Waynesville Township High School in 1958.

Without enough money for college, Freda began working in the office at Waynewood in Hazelwood. About a year later, she was hired by Dayco Corporation where she worked until 1964. While working at Dayco Corporation, the company covered the cost for her to study at Western Carolina University. Dr. and Mrs. Hooper were married in 1964 and moved to Texas before she could graduate. In Texas, Freda worked for Military Intelligence at Fort Sam Houston. Freda was determined to finish what she had started, and soon she graduated from San Antonio College with an associate degree in business.

After moving back to Waynesville, Freda returned to the classroom and earned a B.S. and a M.A. in Business Education from Western Carolina University. Dr. and Mrs. Hooper had two wonderful children and four grandchildren. The couple always supported each other and enjoyed a 48-year marriage. Dr. Hooper lost his battle with cancer in 2012. When Dr. Hooper established this endowment in 1988, he told his wife her name would be included because much of what he had accomplished would not have been possible without her. Dr. Hooper established a scholarship to help deserving students with financial need and who demonstrated an interest in the Radiologic Technology program. Dr. and Mrs. Hooper were always grateful for the opportunities they were given and for all the people who helped them along the way. This is their way of giving back. Mrs. Hooper stated, “I ask each person that receives this scholarship to help someone when you can, and God will bless
you as He has blessed us.”

  • Open to Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties including the Qualla Boundary
  • Students must have and maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA
  • Must be enrolled full-time (minimum 12 credit hours)
  • Must have applied for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Applicants must be pursuing an associate degree
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher
  • Preference will be given to students with financial need
  • Preference will be given to students who have interests in community service and exhibit civic responsibility through involvement in their local communities, along with participation in voluntary associations which seek to improve communities and the lives of others
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.75 GPA or better
  • Preference for first-generation students
  • Must be actively seeking a degree in Automotive Technology at SCC on the Jackson campus.
  • Must be in good academic standing with the college (cumulative 2.5 GPA or better). High school transcript must be submitted with the general application used by the community college.
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Must be a full-time student 
  • Is a graduate from a North Carolina high school 
  • Must be enrolled in an associate, diploma, or certificate program 
  • Must be a U.S. citizen and resident of North Carolina (NCGS 116-143.1), and be eligible for in-state tuition 
  • Demonstrate scholastic achievement with a GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale 
  • Scholarship may be used to pay for tuition, books, fees, course supplies and transportation. 
  • Must continue at the college where enrolled at the time of the scholarship award and for the duration of the scholarship. 
  • Cannot be a Director, employee, or family member of an employee or Director of the State Employee’s Credit Union or SECU Foundation. 
  • Must be full-time (minimum of 12 credit hours)
  • Must complete the FAFSA
  • The applicant and/or parent or guardian must be a member of SEANC
  • Students whose parent(s) are state employees but not SEANC members are not eligible for the scholarships

Applications may be downloaded from the SEANC website at www.seanc.org

  • Available to full-time or part-time students
  • May be pursuing a certificate, diploma or degree program.
  • Must complete the Free Application or Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required for that award year.
  • Preference given to those students with financial need.
  • Candidates must be a Student Support Services participant and have completed at least 12 hours of study.
  • Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 to be eligible and maintain a 2.0 GPA or better for continued eligibility.
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

In honor of Susan Lanier’s prolific artistic talent, the Jackson County Arts Council established the Susan Lanier Memorial Scholarship.  This scholarship is for students who meet the following criteria:

  • Resident of Jackson County
  • Have financial need
  • GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Enrolled in an art program as a full-time or part-time student at SCC
  • Applicant must be currently enrolled in the Occupational Therapy Program
  • Preference shall be given to students demonstrating service to others within the scope of the profession of Occupational Therapy. 
  • Preference shall be given to Occupational Therapy students who have participated in domestic or international mission work. 
  • Applicants must be pursuing an associate of science degree
  • Preference will be giving to students interested in horticulture/botany
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher
  • Must be currently enrolled in a college or university majoring in the field of education
  • Must be well advanced in program in education with an established career plan for teaching
  • Preference to applicants interested in child guidance and counseling in North Carolina
  • Recent high school graduates are NOT eligible to apply

Applications and information are available online at www.ncfrw.com/

  • Applicants must be pursuing a diploma or associate degree or college transfer degree
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA
  • Applicants must have demonstrated financial need
  • Preference given to student currently participating in or graduating from Circles of Hope of Jackson County or any bona-fide Circles Program
  • Open to Nursing Degree students who are residents of Jackson and Swain counties
  • Must be full-time (12 credit hours) · Must have/maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA or better
  • Applicants are required to apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Must be in the Advertising & Graphic Design program
  • Must have and maintain a cumulative 3.0 cumulative GPA
  • Special consideration will be given to single parents who are eligible
  • All applicants must have applied for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA)
  • Applicant must be enrolled full time
  • Applicant must be pursuing an Associate Degree or College Transfer Degree
  • Applicant must have and maintain a 3.0gpa or better
  • Preference will be given to the children of employees of Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos
  • Preference will be given to new students each year; however, renewals will be considered
  • Applicants must be pursuing an associate degree in Accounting and Finance, Business Administration, Business Administration – Entrepreneurship or Business Administration – Office Administration
  • Applicants must be enrolled three quarter of the time or more
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 3.0 GPA or better
  • Applicants must reside in Swain, Jackson, Macon Counties or the Qualla Boundary
Five well-dressed people pose for a photo

Carol (seated left) and Jack Hennessee (seated center) present a $15,000 check to Dr. Don Tomas (seated right), SCC president, to endow a scholarship on behalf of the W.C. and Stella Hennessee Foundation on Dec. 15 in Sylva. Standing behind them are Charles Wolfe (left), honorary member of the SCC Foundation’s board of directors, and Brett Woods, director of the SCC Foundation.

Continuing a long tradition of supporting healthcare in Jackson County, Jack and Carol Hennessee recently endowed a $15,000 scholarship at Southwestern Community College on behalf of the W.C. and Stella Hennessee Foundation.

The Hennessees made the donation in December of 2016 to the SCC Foundation, which will administer the scholarship.

“I’ve known Jack and Carol for several years, and I know their desire to help people is genuine,” said Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC. “We’re pleased they’ve decided to endow this scholarship through the SCC Foundation. Their gift will benefit our students for years to come.”

The principal of the donation will remain untouched in perpetuity while a portion of the earnings from the investment will be made available to support health sciences students at SCC.

SCC currently has 14 health sciences programs and is in the process of planning a new health sciences building that will allow the college to accept more health sciences students than ever.

Over the years, the Hennessee foundation donated more than $1 million to Harris Regional Hospital. The Hennessee foundation can only donate to non-profits, so the hospital was no longer an option for gifts after it became a for-profit institution.

Through SCC’s non-profit foundation, the Hennessees are still able to impact healthcare in the region.

“Jack and I want to help the students of Jackson County to have a brighter future,” Carol Hennessee said. “The goal of our foundation is to benefit the communities and people of Jackson County. When you support health sciences students at SCC, the long-term result is that we all benefit because these are the people who will take care of us at the doctor’s office and the hospital.”

Following are criteria necessary to apply for this scholarship:

  • Applicant must have a 3.0 gpa or higher
  • Applicant must be in the Nursing or RIBN program
  • Must be a full-time student (12 or more credit hours)
  • Must be enrolled in the second year of a two-year educational/technical program
  • Must demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Must demonstrate scholastic promise
  • Must use the scholarship to pay for tuition, books and transportation

This scholarship is open to students from Jackson County

The Chancellor’s Achievement Award for the Outstanding Southwestern Community College Student is a four-semester award that will fund tuition and fees.

  • Open to SCC students only who plan to attend WCU in the Fall. Scholarship funds are applied to your expenses at Western
  • Must have a GPA of 3.75 or higher with approximately 60 hours of transfer credit
  • Students need to apply for admissions to Western Carolina University and be accepted to Western prior to April 1 to ensure consideration for the award
  • You must enroll as a full-time, degree seeking, resident credit student
  • Open to all students entering a vocational/trades curriculum and who are residents of Jackson, Swain or Macon counties
  • Must be enrolled full-time (12 credit hours)
  • Applicant must be in good academic standing with the college (2.0 cumulative GPA)
  • All applicants must have applied for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Applicants must be full or part-time students who reside in Jackson County
  • Applicants must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher
  • Preference will be given to students in the Cosmetology Program
William Lenson & Frances Raleigh (Rose) Groves

This scholarship was set up by a cousin of Dr. Cecil Groves, who served as SCC President from 1997-2010. 

Following is the only criteria for applying:

  • Applicants may be enrolled full or part-time and may be from any geographical area.

Here’s more information about the wonderful individuals who made this scholarship possible:

William Lenson Groves was born in 1918 in the small farming community of Rock, Oklahoma. He grew up during some of the most trying times in American History – the Great Depression, drought conditions (The Dust Bowl) in the Midwest, and World War II. After high school, Mr. Groves went to college in Weatherford, Oklahoma until the start of World War II. Like most young men at that time, was drafted into military service at Fort Sill, located near Lawton, Oklahoma at age 22. William was a crew chief in the Air Force for the B-24 heavy bombers called “the Liberators”, and later the B-29 “Superfortress”, flying out of India, Burma, and China.

After the war, William continued his education and earned two college degrees – one from Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Oklahoma and the other from La Tourneau College in Longview, Texas. Upon graduation, William would teach in the Pampa, Texas public schools for 29 years before retiring to operate his family’s farm in Rocky, Oklahoma.

During the war years, William began corresponding with a young lady, Frances Raleigh Rose, of Spindale, North Carolina. After several years of correspondence, they were married in 1958 at a small Methodist church in Rutherfordton, North Carolina and Frances relocated to Pampa, Texas, where William was teaching.

William believed that the experiences and accomplishments in his own life were an affirmation that education makes a positive difference in lives of people. With the help and counsel of his cousin, Dr. Cecil Groves, who was then president of Southwestern Community College, William conveyed to the Southwestern Community College Foundation the proceeds from the sale of his Spindale, North Carolina home for scholarships to help students.

Dr. Cecil Groves summarized the gift by saying this: “William was a generous and loving person known for his sincere kindness and humility. He always looked for the good in everyone, especially valuing the contributions of those who labored in the fields and factories to make life better for themselves and others.”