125 donors gave to honor UNCP’s 125th anniversary

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Twenty-two UNC Pembroke students were awarded Arrowhead 1887 Scholarships in fall semester 2013. The scholarship, worth $1,887 each, was created to honor the university’s founding during the 125th anniversary celebrations.

 

The scholarships went to a diverse group, including student-athletes, graduate students, two out-of-state students, an international student and a student in the military. The Arrowhead is merit-based, and it emphasizes grade point average and community service.

Wendy Lowery, vice chancellor for the Office of Advancement explained the scholarship.

“First, I want to thank those who gave to the Arrowhead 1887 Scholarship for their loyalty to the university and our students,” Lowery said. “I am very pleased with the results of this project. We had a diverse group of donors who responded to our call.

“We have decided to continue the Arrowhead as part of our scholarship fundraising program, in part, because it is a convenient way for donors to give any amount to a great scholarship fund,” she said. “Twenty-two students benefitted by receiving an amount that is more than a semester’s tuition. Let’s do it again.”

Donors were as diverse as the scholarship recipients. Some donors responded to a direct mail campaign and others were drawn from the annual Faculty and Staff Campaign. Two donors contributed $1,887 each to sponsor one student. The biggest donor, Pembroke Chamber of Commerce, gave $2,275 and COMtech, the local business park, contributed $800 from its annual golf tournament.

The Support Our Students or SOS Beach Party, an annual scholarship gala staged by the Office of Advancement, contributed a little more than $23,500 from its 2012 event. The 2013 event was even more successful.

When it was over, the number of donors miraculously matched the age of the university, said Kristen Anderson, who managed the campaign.

“I couldn’t have made this up; it was one of those strange coincidences,” she said. “When it was over, there was one donor for each of the 125 years of the university’s history.”

Applications for the Arrowhead Scholarship were taken from more than 150 students, and the Office of Financial Aid selected the recipients.

Donors may give to The Arrowhead 1887 Scholarship Fund at any time. To donate or learn more about giving at UNCP, please contact the Office of Advancement at 910.521.6252 or email advancement@uncp.edu.