Gaston College Foundation hits $6 million milestone after Shovelins' gift

Staff reports
·3 min read

A $25,000 donation from Wayne and Julie Shovelin has helped pass the Gaston College Foundation past the $6 million mark.

The majority of the endowment is designated for student scholarships. Over the past 10 years, the Gaston College Foundation has granted more than $2 million in scholarship funds to students.

Wayne and Julie Shovelin donated $25,000 to the Gaston College Foundation, pushing its total assets past $6 million.
Wayne and Julie Shovelin donated $25,000 to the Gaston College Foundation, pushing its total assets past $6 million.

"Julie and I are pleased with the significance of our gift," said Wayne Shovelin. "Having served our community for more than 30 years, we recognize the importance of Gaston College and the lasting impact of scholarship support in creating educational opportunities for students."

Wayne Shovelin, former CEO of CaroMont Health, and Julie Shovelin, who served as the board attorney for Gaston County Schools, have been recognized for numerous significant contributions in support of industry and non-profit organizations in Gaston County.

The Gaston College Foundation administers 57 permanently endowed scholarship funds supporting more than $300,000 in funding each year. Endowment gifts offer donors the opportunity to make gifts with impact lasting in perpetuity, creating a legacy that can positively benefit generations of future students.

“Endowments play a crucial role in creating a sustainable future for Gaston College,” said Luke Upchurch, Gaston College’s chief development officer and executive director of the Gaston College Foundation. “I am grateful for Wayne and Julie's contribution, which allows the Foundation to reach a new milestone, and for their commitment to fostering student success.”

In addition to helping relieve the financial burden associated with the rising costs of a college education, scholarships offer a number of benefits to students of all ages. They allow students more time and energy to focus on studies rather than work, and offer opportunities to gain new or improved skill sets, which encourages them to launch new or enhanced careers. This trajectory provides the opportunity to earn higher wages so they can support themselves and their families and can contribute to the greater community.

"Gaston College is blessed to have community of supporters to grow our endowment," said John Lowery, president of the Foundation board of directors. "We welcome every member of our community to leave a legacy and provide support to students in need of a hand up, rather than a handout."

For more information on how you can leave a legacy that will support future opportunities for students at Gaston College, please visit give.Gaston.edu.

Gaston College Foundation

The Gaston College Foundation, Inc. is an independently incorporated 501-c-3 not-for-profit organization. Its sole mission is to raise, invest, administer and disburse funds exclusively for charitable, scientific, or educational purposes for the benefit of Gaston College. All gifts received by the Foundation are used for the direct needs of the college including designated programs, scholarships, operating, and capital expenses.

Gaston College

Gaston College is one of 58 community colleges in the North Carolina Community College System. Gaston College enrolls approximately 5,700 students each term in curriculum programs and 13,500 annually in its Economic and Workforce Development programs.

Gaston College offers more than 150 fields of study to obtain an associate degree, diploma or certificate, and has several articulation agreements that facilitate seamless transfers from associate degree programs into four-year universities.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston College Foundation hits $6 million mark after Shovelins' gift