The Julian T. Pierce Endowed Scholarship at UNC Pembroke got an $18,500 contribution from the proceeds of the July 3 art auction.

A total of $55,000 was raised at the auction and dinner event held at UNCP during Lumbee Homecoming. Funds were dispersed between UNC Pembroke, Robeson Community College, North Carolina Central University and for a memorial initiative at the N.C. Office of Legal Aid in Pembroke.

Making the check presentation were representatives of the Julian T. Pierce Memorial Initiative Committee, including Dr. Stan Knick, director of UNCP’s Native American Resource Center, Harvey Godwin and Cody Godwin, owners of Two Hawk Employment Services, Dale Deese of the Pembroke office of North Carolina Legal Aid, and Wendy Lowery, vice chancellor of Advancement for UNCP. Other committee members are Mac Legerton of the Center for Community Action, and Rebekah R. Lowry, the foundation director at Robeson Community College.

SCHOLARSHIP CONTRIBUTIONS - Julian T. Pierce Art Auction Committee members are pictured presenting a check to Chancellor Kyle R. Carter (third from the left). They are from left: Dr. Stan Knick, Harvey and Cody Godwin; Wendy Lowery and Dale Deese. The auction, held on July 5, also contributed to scholarships at Robeson Community College, N.C. Central University and a memorial initiative at the NC Legal Aid Office in Pembroke. Committee members not pictured were Mac Legerton of the Center for Community Action, and Rebekah R. Lowry of Robeson Community College.

Lowery offered thanks on behalf of UNCP. “The dinner and art auction was a wonderful tribute to Julian Pierce’s memory,” she said. “His legacy of helping others is continued through these scholarships. Speaking as a committee member, this has been an uplifting experience for me and for this community in so many ways.”

Harvey Godwin helped establish the scholarship at UNCP following Pierce’s death in 1988. Godwin’s wife, Shelia, created the art for the auction, which was attended by more than 300 people in the University Center Annex. The committee plans to make the dinner-auction an annual event of Lumbee Homecoming.

Pierce was a local civil rights activist and founder of Lumbee River Legal Services in Pembroke (now the North Carolina Legal Aid).

The Pierce Scholarship goes to an outstanding student from Robeson County with demonstrated financial need. To learn more about this scholarship or about giving to UNCP, please contact the Office of Advancement at (910) 521-6252 or email advancement@uncp.edu. To give online please go to www.uncp.edu/advancement/.