The William J. and Doris M. Nichols Scholarship has been made possible by a generous endowment of funds contributed by Ms. Doris M. Nichols to be administered by the Tyrrell County Education Foundation. Mr. and Ms. Nichols were both educators in the public schools of North Carolina. Mr. Nichols served as principal of Columbia High School from 1955 to 1961. Mr. and Ms. Nichols have been strong advocates for education over the years as well as advocates and supporters of other community services and projects.
As of January 9, 2012, the scholarship shall be awarded to a Columbia High School Senior each year in the amount of $2500.00. The scholarship may be renewed each year for three consecutive years for a four-year undergraduate program with a total worth of $10,000. It is believed to be the only scholarship of its kind in the state, maybe the only one of its kind in the nation. The Tyrrell County Board of Education is very grateful to Ms. Nichols for the opportunity she has provided the present and future students of Tyrrell County.
The Nichols Scholarship targets students who demonstrate academic promise, good citizenship qualities, and a need for financial assistance to pursue higher education goals.
In selecting the candidate for the William J. and Doris M. Nichols Scholarship, the Foundation seeks the qualities and conditions of:
- High academic achievement documented by earned QPA, class rank, SAT scores, high school transcript, earned academic honors and letters of recommendation from teachers.
- High moral force of character and good citizenship documented by participation in extracurricular activities and community organizations, leadership roles, and letters from teachers and citizens of the community.
- Successful interview outcome which gives evidence of the candidate’s ability to think and reason, as well as intellectual curiosity and a commitment to personal educational goals.
Congratulations to Abigail Martinez, The William J. and Doris M. Nichols Scholarship award winner!