Monday, March 13, 2017

Richard S. Reynolds Foundation gives $500,000 for Reynolds Honors Program




To “encourage excellence and innovative thinking in the next generation of leaders in our community,” Richard S. (Major) Reynolds recently announced a gift of $500,000 to help students in Reynolds Community College’s Honors Program pay for school and participate in experiential learning and service opportunities outside of the classroom.

“Students accepted into the Honors Program participate in more advanced, complex academic work,” said Honors faculty coordinator Dr. Ashley Bourne-Richardson. “All Honors courses share the foundational pillars of critical thinking, independent research, interdisciplinary learning, and engagement. It’s rigorous, but rewarding.” To complete the Honors Program and earn an Honors certification on their diploma, students must complete 18-21 credits in designated Honors courses.

The availability of scholarships greatly influences the ability of participants to fully engage in the program and succeed academically. Honor students have approximately the same level of unmet financial need as their peers. 62 percent have applied for financial aid and 67 percent report working at least a part-time job while in school.

The half-million dollar gift to the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation establishes the Reynolds Family Honors Scholars and provides precious scholarship dollars for an annual cohort of recipients. “Our college is named for a beloved public servant who championed access to higher education,” said Gary L. Rhodes, president of Reynolds Community College. “With this investment, our students can explore and apply on and off campus those ideals of scholarship and service. This gift from the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation is another example of the financial and moral support shown for our college by the Reynolds Family, and we’re honored to receive it,” said President Rhodes.