Midland College recognizes Legacy Scholars students as they allocate more than $15,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizationsMay 01, 2024

Midland College held its end-of-the-year Legacy Scholars celebration on Tuesday evening, April 30, in the Allison Fine Arts Building on the Midland College main campus. The event commemorated the educational achievements and fundraising efforts of the program's students.

Funded by four local foundations – Abell-Hanger Foundation, Scharbauer Foundation, Helen Greathouse Charitable Trust, and Chaparral Foundation – the Legacy Scholars Program promotes student academic success and development of philanthropy and leadership skills. This program provides access to college through scholarships and support for success through leadership training, networking, community involvement and success coaching.

“The Legacy Scholars program is one that helps define Midland College,” said MC President Dr. Damon Kennedy. “We are honored to celebrate these students, and remind them how proud we are of the work they’ve put into their education, into this school and into this community.”

Legacy Scholars must complete community service hours and are then encouraged to write essays about their experiences serving local nonprofit agencies. Five students received a $1,000 stipend for their winning essays on their community service experiences. These five students are:

• Dayani Hernandez
• Katelyn Herren
• Maddison Marquez
• Rosely Nei
• Annalea Whitaker

To learn the importance of philanthropy and giving back to the community, Legacy Scholars also raise funds in order to award grants to local nonprofits. This year, students worked the concession stand at multiple Midland College events, sold t-shirt sponsorships, hosted a community car wash and held a raffle to raise funds for these grants. The funds were then generously matched by the Abell-Hanger Foundation. 

The Legacy Scholars visited seven nonprofit organizations from the Midland area that submitted grant proposals so that they could learn more about their needs. After a thorough review process, the Legacy Scholars selected three organizations to receive grants. 

They awarded $8,852 to Mission Agape to help with their food and school supply programs; $5,000 to Casa de Amigos to purchase two interactive learning boards to help with their ESL and GED classes; and $1,894 to Hospice of Midland to provide two iPads to help increase the efficiency of their prescription order documentation.

The evening concluded with the announcement of the winners of the Herbert L. Cartwright Education Continuance Scholarship. Abell-Hanger Foundation awards these scholarships ($12,500 per year for two years) to Midland College Legacy Scholars as they transfer to a four-year university to complete a baccalaureate degree. Winners of the 2024 Herbert L. Cartwright Continuing Education Scholarship are:

• Fabian Avalos
• Leah Lopez
• Sophia Serrata
• Ana Tarango Diaz
• Kate Viscaino
• Niara Whitley
• Mia Wojtek

In closing, Midland College Chief of Staff Dr. Deana Savage offered these words: “Year after year, in honor of the wishes of the scholarship founders, the leaders of these entities have made gifts to the Legacy Scholars Program. These gifts that meet present needs are not just for the present. These gifts have been given to the future – to the future of these young people, to the future of our community, and to the future of the world. Congratulations, scholars. We know that with you, the future is in good hands.”