Cecil estate provides $3.1M gift to Rural Scholarship Program for WNC high school seniors

Staff reports
·3 min read
George Henry Cecil poses with Journey scholars in 2017. From left to right are Haley Johnson, Ressie Owen, Allison Merrell, Cecil and Ty Reeves.
George Henry Cecil poses with Journey scholars in 2017. From left to right are Haley Johnson, Ressie Owen, Allison Merrell, Cecil and Ty Reeves.

The estate of George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil, who died in 2020, has made a large contribution to the Rural Community Scholarship Program, according to a recent news release from the Board of Directors of WNC Communities.

On Feb. 2, it was announced that the estate of Cecil, who was the grandson of George Vanderbilt (the founder of the Biltmore Estate), donated $3.1 million to the George Henry Vanderbilt Journey Scholarship Fund, which is an endowment fund for WNC students that is administered by WNC Communities and managed by the Community Foundation of WNC.

This posthumous contribution is a continuation of Cecil’s long-time commitment to education within the geography served by WNC Communities, the release said. These funds will allow the program to increase educational funding for students across Western North Carolina.

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The scholarships, which are available to high school seniors, will now be four-year renewable scholarships, according to the release. The expectation of this newly-endowed scholarship program is to help the young people of Western North Carolina with the cost of attending college, while fostering lasting relationships between local youth and their communities.

The scholarship honors the legacy of Cecil, who gave decades of service to our rural communities across Western North Carolina. Cecil, who was the owner and CEO of Biltmore Farms, was among the founders of the WNC Honors program in 1949 and served the program for 71 years. He remained active as part of the scholarship committeeuntil his death at age 95 on Oct. 19, 2020.

In recognition of his lifetime contributions and his dedication to higher education for all students living withinthe most rural geographies of Western North Carolina, the governing board of WNC Communities renamed this scholarship program in his honor.

WNC Communities said in the release that it is "most grateful to the George H.V. Cecil family for their dedication to youth in rural communities and for the generous contribution that will fund this scholarship program in perpetuity." In doing so, Cecil’s wish, which was to improve the quality of life for all who live in WNC, will be honored. Throughout his business and civic career, Cecil wanted to leave his community better than he found it.

Scholarship applicants must live or participate in a community that is enrolled in the WNC Honors Awards Program managed by WNC Communities. Extra consideration is given to applicants who actively volunteer with their community center. All applicants are expected to demonstrate good character, strong academic record,dedication to community service and leadership qualities.

Additional eligibility requirements can be found on the application. Applications for the 2023-2024 school year opened in January and are available through high school guidance counselors, community center officers andfound on WNC Communities’ website at wnccommunities.org/journeyscholarship/.

For more information, contact the scholarship coordinator by email at gailparker@wnccommunities.org or call 828-252-4783.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Cecil estate provides $3.1 million gift to Rural Community Scholarship Program