Scholarships named in honor of author Pat Conroy
From staff reports
The Fripp Island Women’s Club has awarded Pat Conroy Water Is Wide Scholarships to Alyson Boggess and Robert Powel, both students at the Technical College of the Lowcountry.
In honor of author and longtime Fripp Island resident Pat Conroy (1945-2016), the Fripp Island Women’s Club (FIWC) created the scholarship in 2016. In collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, FIWC awards the scholarship to adult students over the age of 21 returning to college in order to enhance their education and their professional endeavors.
To date, the FIWC has sponsored and presented five scholarships, totaling $9,000, to students attending the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) and the Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL).
Boggess, of Beaufort, is a senior nursing student at TCL, where she also serves as her class representative. She is a busy wife, involved mother of 3 children, and also an active volunteer at the YMCA.
Her letters of recommendation comment on her stellar work ethic, sensitivity, and empathy. To quote her letter of nomination,”She has a servant’s heart, and I cannot think of a better person who would be your nurse.”
One of her instructors describes her as “a natural leader, hardworking, and shows great compassion.” Alyson will graduate in May 2021 with her Associates Degree in Nursing.
Powel, of Bluffton, is enrolled in TCL’s Physical Therapy Assistant Program. He wishes to use his own physical therapy experience to “inspire patients and pass along hope” during recovery.
One letter of recommendation speaks to Powel’s balancing a full-time job along with pursuing his education and volunteering for many community events and charities. Another recommendation said, “Robert, born and raised in Beaufort, is an excellent communicator and problem solver, who also introduced (me) to collard greens, shag dancing, and college sports.”
To learn more about the FIWC and how you can support or apply for the Pat Conroy Water Is Wide Scholarship, visit www.frippwc.com/scholarship.html.
And to learn more about the educational mission of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, visit www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.
