New VGCC Scholarship established to honor longtime trustee
A new Vance-Granville Community College scholarship will pay tribute to a longtime trustee and advocate for the college. At a meeting of the VGCC Board of Trustees in July, VGCC Endowment Fund board vice-chairman Robert L. Hubbard announced that John K. Nelms of Oxford, who serves on the Endowment board and served on the Board of Trustees for many years before being named “trustee emeritus,” would be honored by the creation of an endowed scholarship, named the John K. Nelms Presidential Scholar Award. The news was a surprise to the honoree, who was also surprised to see his son, John K. “Johnny” Nelms, Jr. of Raleigh, who had been brought in to help celebrate his father’s recognition. “This was a really unexpected honor,” Nelms said. “I’m so proud to be associated with such a fine institution and to have been a part of its growth over the years.”
Nelms was honored for his years of service to the college and his steadfast support of the college’s Endowment Fund and Scholarship Program . Among his numerous contributions to the fund, he created the Mary Ruth Nelms Presidential Scholar Award in 2009 in memory of his late wife of 61 years. “I’ve known John for many years and worked closely with him to build up one of the strongest community college scholarship programs in North Carolina,” Hubbard said. “Our students, businesses, industries and communities have benefitted from his hard work, dedication and loyalty to Vance-Granville.” The new scholarship will be awarded each year to a full-time VGCC student who meets certain eligibility requirements.
“I don’t think there is a person alive today who has had more of an impact on the success of Vance-Granville Community College than John K. Nelms,” Board of Trustees chairman Donald C. Seifert Sr. of Henderson said. “It is only fitting that we honor his remarkable record of service with a scholarship that will help the students of today and tomorrow continue their education.”
When the college was still young, Nelms — then the director of the Granville County Economic Development Commission — was active in getting his county involved in supporting what was then Vance County Technical Institute. He persuaded Granville County commissioners to join Vance County in funding the school and in locating its main campus near the county line between Henderson and Oxford. Nelms served in an advisory capacity to the board from 1971 until 1973, when he was named a trustee. A member of the trustees’ Building Committee for many years, Nelms was instrumental in guiding the expansion of VGCC’s facilities. He also chaired the Curriculum Committee during a period when many new programs of instruction were added at the college, including Associate Degree Nursing. Nelms was vice-chairman of the board for many years, and served as its chairman from 1983 through 1984 and from 1999 until 2003. He worked with all of VGCC’s presidents and is currently a member of the search committee charged with finding the college’s next chief executive. Nelms retired from the Board in 2005 and was named VGCC’s first (and to date, only) Trustee Emeritus. He said at that time, “I can say without hesitation that my service on the Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees was the highlight of my career.”
Above: VGCC Endowment Fund board vice-chairman Robert Hubbard shakes hands with John K. Nelms as VGCC President Randy Parker (second from left) and John K. “Johnny” Nelms, Jr. (right) look on. (VGCC photo)
