Inna Shames
Perhaps you’ve noticed that there have been several named scholarships featured recently by The Women of Quail Creek (TWOQC) honoring loved ones. Wondering what it’s all about? We have the answers to your questions.
A TWOQC named scholarship is a designated scholarship fund named after a specific individual, perhaps a loved one who has recently passed away. Often these beloved individuals had a special connection to the field of education or to promoting educational opportunities for underserved populations. Sometimes this connection is in the form of a spouse or close relative who was active in TWOQC, while other times it has to do with the importance of education in the life of that particular individual.
For example, when Rick Stilson passed away unexpectedly in January, his wife Lisa, a former educator active on the Scholarship Committee of TWOQC, felt that a Rick Stilson Scholarship was a wonderful way to honor Rick’s memory because he had been so supportive and so proud of her work on the committee.
Likewise, when Harvey Beim passed away in February, his wife Marilyn felt that a Harvey Beim Scholarship was a fitting tribute to the man who had sacrificed so much not only to enable all of his children to have higher education but also encourage his wife to achieve her lifelong dream of a bachelor’s degree at the age of 61.
The Women of Quail Creek scholarship program offers the opportunity to create such named scholarships in memory of a beloved individual or in celebration of an event. Named scholarships can be created as a donation by a single donor or a group of donors. They can also be created as funds to which others are invited to contribute.
Since TWOQC is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, donors may even use qualified charitable distributions from retirement funds to avoid tax obligations on minimum required distributions.
If the idea of honoring a person or an event by helping women further their educations appeals to you, you may want to consider creating a named scholarship to honor someone dear to you. For more information about the TWOQC scholarship program or to arrange a donation, please contact Scholarship Committee Chair Deb Melton at [email protected].