Progress Energy donates $7,500 to VGCC

Progress Energy recently presented a gift of $7,500 to Vance-Granville Community College. Of that amount, $5,000 will provide five $1,000 annual scholarships for VGCC students. Meanwhile, $2,000 will be added to the company’s contribution to the VGCC Endowment Fund, and $500 will support the local MATHCOUNTS competition for middle school students, which is hosted by the college. On Jan. 14, Progress Energy Community Relations Manager Tanya Evans of Timberlake (above, second from left) presented the contribution to VGCC Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Endowment Fund director Jo Anna Jones (left), President Randy Parker and Vice President of Finance and Operations Matt Williams (right).

Progress Energy, the Fortune 250 power company based in Raleigh, is a longtime supporter of VGCC. The company has endowed a Presidential Merit Award-level scholarship at the college, which began as an Academic Achievement scholarship in 2003. The company has also co-sponsored VGCC Endowment Fund golf tournaments and VGCC’s annual business EXPO, in addition to MATHCOUNTS. In 2006, Progress Energy presented a $10,000 capacity building grant to VGCC to support the Endowment Fund’s growth.

More than 5,000 VGCC scholarships have been awarded since 1982, funded by interest earned on the Endowment Fund and Scholarship Program. With assets of more than $6 million, VGCC has one of the largest community college endowment and scholarship funds in the state. In 2007-2008, approximately 75 percent of VGCC students received some sort of scholarship or financial aid.