BSC Donors and Scholarship Recipients
Recognized and Saluted

(Bluefield)—Scholarship recipients from Bluefield State College, along with the individuals and organizations whose generosity provided those scholarships were saluted during the annual BSC Scholarship Recognition Dinner, April 26. Dr. Donald Caudill, whose 2002 gift to the College established an endowed scholarship, and five of the BSC scholarship recipients, shared with the audience of more than 150 their insights into the multidimensional blessings experienced through giving.

Caudill, Professor of Business and chair/Organizational Management & Leadership at Bluefield College, established the “Brian Delp Service Leadership Award,” in memory of Delp, a BSC student who lost his life five years ago while assisting a stranded motorist. During his years as a member of the BSC faculty, Caudill had advised and taught Delp in several business courses.

“I give because I was blessed by the gifts of others,” Caudill explained, describing how the concern and support of others helped him grow and achieve, despite a very modest start in life. “I give to honor the memory of my father (the late Alfred Caudill), and to pay tribute to my mother’s (Shirley Wampler Caudill’s) sacrifices,” he continued, saluting his parents, whose selflessness helped to make his dream of a college education become a reality.

Caudill also noted that the act of giving opens doors of blessing for the giver. “The only things we get to keep are the things we give away,” he said, quoting Winston Churchill. Finally, he said, “I give because it is a joy to make a positive difference in someone’s life.”

BSC students Andrea Browning, Howard Coston, Shamatee Mitchell, Louie Rocchetti, and Sara Bulford also discussed the importance of the support they received through the scholarship program at the College.

“If it was not for the gracious donors sitting here today, I would not be graduating with honors in December,” Browning said. “Knowing that there is someone out there who cares about my education gives me the extra motivation I need to succeed.”

Coston, a starting center on the BSC basketball team, observed, “The scholarships I receive have helped me focus on my education without worrying about how I am going to pay for it.” Mitchell, a starting guard on the College’s Lady Blues basketball team, added, “Your help has meant so much to me. When I arrived at Bluefield State, I was greeted with hospitality and kindness and I have been blessed by the College for the past four years.”

Like many BSC students, Rocchetti juggles the responsibilities of work and College while pursuing his degree. “My scholarship has helped me to be able to invest more of my time into my studies, and I’m very grateful for that.” Bulford echoed the sentiments of the other scholarship speakers. “Without the help of my scholarships, I would never be able to graduate with two complete bachelor degrees, unless my parents were to go into debt and obtain loans,” she noted. “I know I will achieve my goal by working to the best of my ability, not only for my personal pride, but also because of my respect and appreciation for the scholarship donors.”

Dr. Albert Walker, BSC President, and John Cardwell, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Karen Harvey, Director/Institutional Advancement and Planning, expressed their gratitude for the scholarship opportunities created by the donors’ generosity, and they saluted the students and their families for their commitment to academic excellence.

The program was organized and directed by the BSC Office of Institutional Advancement and Planning.

April 27, 2007