HAMLET — Mid Carolina Regional Association of REALTORS has established an endowed scholarship with Richmond Community College’s Foundation to help students pursuing a career in construction trades or one that supports the residential development industry. The College held a special ceremony in appreciation for this scholarship on Tuesday at the Cole Auditorium.
“Richmond County is a part of the MCRAR service area and our neighboring county. In 2014, MCRAR provided an endowment scholarship to Sandhills Community College in Moore County. When the opportunity arose to do the same for Richmond, our Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the fund,” said CEO Sandra Barnhardt. “The National Association of REALTORS and NC REALTORS encourages all members to maintain an active role in our communities and to seek opportunities to service the public in ways that benefit future generations. We could think of no better way than to provide a scholarship fund that would help future students and communities.”
Four students from Richmond, Anson or Moore counties will be selected each year to receive a $500 scholarship. Students can be enrolled in either a college degree or short-term training program, such as welding, HVACR, electrical, plumbing, general contracting and introduction to construction.
Mid Carolina Regional Association of REALTORS created the scholarship with a $40,000 donation, but it also provided $2,000 for four scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year. Those scholarships have already been awarded to four RichmondCC students.
Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC, invited the Mid Carolina Regional Association of REALTORS team to come back in November for the Scholarship Banquet to meet the students whose lives they have impacted.
“We want you to be able to put names and faces together and for them to share their successes with you due to this generous scholarship,” McInnis said. “The trade skills you have invested in are critical and necessary. You are going to be relying more and more on folks who have these skills that are increasingly short on supply and demand. We’re committed to training the next generation of skilled crafts men and women across the board.”
Jacob Sutherland, president of Mid Carolina Regional Association of REALTORS, was also in attendance for Tuesday’s ceremony.
“This is such a remarkable campus in a great location, and we can’t be more proud to help support such an amazing institution,” Sutherland said.
For information about making a donation to the RichmondCC Foundation, contact Dr. Hal Shuler at 910-410-1807 or email whshuler@richmondcc.edu.
