Wallace State Community College President Dr. Vicki Karolewics presents a certificate to James W. Meherg about the formation of the James W. Meherg Endowed Scholarship. Johnny Albright made a generous donation to the Wallace State Future Foundation to create the scholarship fund, which will assist students from the Fairview and Baileyton areas.
HANCEVILLE – A former educator was such an influence on others in his community that one of them has gone to the effort to create an endowed scholarship in his name that will provide scholarships to students in his east Cullman County community until the end of time.
Johnny Albright has pledged a generous donation to the Wallace State Community College Future Foundation in order to establish the James W. Meherg Endowed Scholarship, in honor of the former principal of Fairview High School and what was then Baileyton Junior High.
Albright pointed to the decades of service and support Meherg gave to the Fairview and Baileyton communities as an educator and as a positive role model for those whose lives he impacted over the years as his reason for making the donation in Meherg’s name.
With the donation, the James W. Meherg Endowed Scholarship will give students in the Fairview and Baileyton areas a step in the right direction in their education. The first two scholarships for one-year full tuition and fees will be awarded in the fall, said Suzanne Harbin, director of advancement at Wallace State.
“This is to honor you and all you have done for your students, faculty, and staff,” Harbin said. “We’re honored to be the recipient of these scholarship funds, and we’ll take good care of them and make sure that you’ll have recipients that you’ll be proud of.”
“The gift of a college education is one that transforms generations and families,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “So, we are honored that Wallace State was chosen to be a recipient of an endowed scholarship in your honor. I just want to congratulate you on having made such an impact over all of your career that made someone want to commemorate your life in this way.”
Meherg said he was speechless about the honor. “I’m not capable of expressing myself for something like that,” he said. “I never expected it. I thought Johnny was funning me for a long time.”
Meherg was gifted with a key chain bearing his initials on one side and the name and the date of the scholarship’s creation on the other.
“That scholarship will be the key to someone’s future,” Karolewics said as the key was presented.
For information about the Wallace State Future Foundation, to make donations or inquire about scholarships, visit www.wsccfuturefoundation.org or call 256-352-8144.
