The call for medical students has become much more prevalent since the pandemic began.
Charles and Wanda Wolfe heeded that call by giving a gift of $18,000 for Nursing students at Southwestern Community College to create the Charles and Wanda Wolfe Family Endowed Scholarship Fund.
“I was a Registered Nurse for 30 years before retiring, including several years at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva,” said Wanda Wolfe. “I experienced first-hand all that was involved in the profession and was able to personally see the difference that nurses can and do make in patients’ lives. We chose the nursing profession in part because of my career.”
Her husband, an SCC Foundation Board Member, also had a personal reason for wanting to support those joining the nursing profession. Last year he stayed at Harris Regional Hospital for nine days due to a severe case of COVID-19.
“The scholarship is a way for the two of us to express our appreciation for the committed and professional care I received while I was being treated for this illness,” Charles said. “I was greatly impressed by - and grateful for - the selflessness of the nurses who were there for me even at the risk of their own health.”
The Wolfes have been involved with SCC for several years. Charles acted as the Chair of the Student Success Scholarship Campaign, which created SCC’s first endowed scholarship valued at over $1 million. He also serves as an active member of the SCC Foundation Board of Directors and their “Boots, Blue Jeans, and Bling” Gala Committee. Additionally, both have annually provided financial support to SCC’s New Century Scholars program since its inception.
“Charles and Wanda have been close friends and generous supporters of SCC and our students for a very long time,” said Brett Woods, Director of the SCC Foundation. “They are passionate, engaged, and very committed to helping young people improve their lives through education.”
New endowments like the Wolfes’ scholarship are a big reason why the SCC Foundation set all-time records by awarding support of more than $250,000 to 142 students in the current academic year.
“We’re extremely fortunate to have such great supporters and friends like Charles and Wanda,” said SCC President Dr. Don Tomas. “This gift they are providing to our students says so much about them. They’ve seen and experienced firsthand how SCC can change lives, and they want to make sure even more students have opportunities in the future.”
For more information about the SCC Foundation, contact Foundation Director Brett Woods at b_woods@southwesterncc.edu or 828.339.4241.
