FERRUM, VA, November 27, 2023 – The Commonwealth Alliance for Rural Colleges (CARC) announced Thursday, July 20 the creation of the “S. Frank Blocker, Jr. Memorial Scholarship” for Hampton Roads students attending its member schools including Ferrum College.
CARC was welcomed to campus on Thursday, November 16 for their Fall Board of Directors meeting. “It was a pleasure to host the Commonwealth Alliance for Rural Colleges on our campus for their fall meeting. We love welcoming our friends from across the state and sharing our beautiful campus and facilities for this important meeting,” said Ferrum College President Mirta Martin.
During the meeting, Chairwoman Liz Povar stressed the importance of CARC and what they hope to achieve with the scholarship. “Part of what CARC wants to do is to raise the visibility of these institutions and their importance to typically first-generation students. Students from diverse backgrounds, students who may need little bit of extra help from wrap around services they may not get going through a traditional public educational system,” Povar said.
“We have to remember that our mission is to support these institutions financially, prayerfully, and with our hearts and minds. While you’re relaxing a little bit, talk to our presidents, get to know them. Make sure you know what they offer their students because the more you can spread the word, the better chance it is that a child who gets into those institutions will come out being a contributor to this world helping us solve some of the many problems that we have,” Povar continued.
Following the meeting, Carthan F. Currin, III, president of The Commonwealth Alliance for Rural Colleges presented Dr. Martin with a ceremonial check on behalf of the Blocker Foundation for the S. Frank Blocker, Jr. Memorial Scholarship announced earlier this year. “Mr. Frank Blocker, who was from Hampton Roads, Virginia, was a member of the Commonwealth Alliance for Rural Colleges Board for many years. At his death, he left $100 million to create a foundation and the foundation selected the Commonwealth Alliance for Rural Colleges to be one of the organizations it would support. This is the second grant we received and the largest today for a $250,000 scholarship to support students from Hampton Roads, Virginia who come to Ferrum College and all other affiliate institutions that make up the Alliance,” Currin said.
“We are honored to receive the funds from the Blocker Foundation and have Carthan Currin and Jeannie Baliles with us for the presentation from CARC today,” Dr. Martin said. “The Blocker Foundation’s generosity will transform the lives of Hampton Roads students by affording them the financial opportunity to attend Ferrum College and our fellow CARC institutions. Ferrum College has always been the ‘College of Opportunity of Virginia,’ providing a superb education on a 700 acre campus with a lake, trails and farm that offer students a peaceful learning environment where they thrive. We are excited to welcome home students supported by the Blocker Foundation grant who make Ferrum College their destination of choice.”