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Northshore Technical Community College and the Northshore College Enhancement Foundation have again awarded a record number of scholarships to Northshore Technical Community College students for the 2021-2022 academic year. The scholarships support incoming and returning students from each of the college’s campuses in St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, St. Helena, Washington and Livingston parishes. Scholarship recipients and donors were recognized at the annual Chancellor’s Sunrise Breakfast on Thursday, April 1. NTCC student body president Gabriel Berger led the invocation and pledge of allegiance.

Four students from Washington Parish were awarded scholarships.

Megan Whitecotton was the recipient of the Stuart Carlson Memorial Scholarship. Lauren Gerald received the Sullivan Vocational Foundation Scholarship. Rhiannon Carpenter and Ashley Bradshaw both earned the Gators Give Scholarship.

NTCC Chancellor Dr. William Wainwright welcomed guests and thanked the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools TV staff for providing the live stream of the event to NTCC’s community supporters. Keynote speaker Joan Coffman, president and CEO of St. Tammany Health System, expressed that the event was especially meaningful after such a challenging year, as the college looks forward with hope to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“St. Tammany Health System and Northshore Technical Community College have a partnership that began over 60 years ago, and together we’ve become interwoven in the fabric of the northshore region,” said Coffman, adding that St. Tammany Health System provides clinical opportunities for NTCC’s practical nursing students, as well as students in other health sciences programs, medical office assistant, information technology, and electrician students.

“The road to college success for many is a straight path, while for others it holds twists and turns due to life experiences,” NTCC Chancellor Dr. William Wainwright said. “Regardless of the path, resilience and tenacity drive success. I am humbled to introduce our scholarship recipients and the donors who support those scholarships, and to hear the donor testimonials as to why they give, which demonstrates the value and the power of education.” Wainwright was joined at the podium by his family to present the Patricia “Patsy” Wainwright Memorial Scholarship, which was established by the Wainwright family in honor of his late mother, who stopped out of high school as a junior and later returned to school to complete her GED. “My mother’s GED made my Ph.D. possible. That’s the power of education,” Wainwright said.

The Patsy Wainwright Memorial Scholarship is awarded each year to a HiSET (formerly GED) completer. Nikala Wilson (Livingston), this year’s recipient, will continue her education by enrolling in NTCC’s Practical Nursing Program.

Faith Woods (Slidell) and incoming NTCC student Allison Godfrey (Covington) were selected to receive the prestigious Edward B. Hands Memorial Scholarship, which provides full tuition for two semesters for outstanding students enrolled in Maritime Technology or maritime-related fields of study. The scholarship is dedicated to encouraging and developing future professionals in maritime transportation, oceanography, and other maritime-related fields. This scholarship was established by Hands’s wife, Hilda Hands, in memoriam and tribute to his dedication to life-long learning and higher education.

Scholarships sponsored by Weeks Marine, Inc., were presented to five students. Nickolis Boudoin (Lacombe) is the recipient of the Weeks Marine Scholarship for incoming students and Nicholas Maggio (Ponchatoula) received the inaugural Weeks Marine/Louisiana Construction Education Foundation Scholarship for Construction Pathways. Shaun Morin (Denham Springs) received the Weeks Marine Endowed Scholarship in Welding; Nicholas Brown (Denham Springs) received the Weeks Marine Endowed Scholarship in Electrician; returning student Collin Schneider (Abita Springs) is the recipient of the Richard Weeks Endowed Maritime Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a student who has completed at least 12 hours and enrolled in Maritime Technology. It was established in tribute to Weeks Marine CEO Richard “Dick” Weeks. The Weeks Marine, Inc. scholarships were established by generous contributions from Weeks Marine, one of the leading marine construction, dredging, and tunneling firms in North America. Weeks Marine has a history of employing NTCC students and graduates.

Additional Northshore College Enhancement Foundation scholarships were presented to Joseph Johnson (Hammond), recipient of the Alphonse “Gator” Abadie Scholarship, Megan Whitecotton (Bogalusa), recipient of the Stuart Carlson Memorial Scholarship, Chaia Wiley (Walker), Joan King Smith Memorial Scholarship, Rod’Neishia Brumfield (Kentwood), She Means Business Scholarship, Lauren Gerald (Franklinton), Sullivan Vocational Scholarship, and Andrew Day (Denham Springs), Walter G. Bumphus Endowed Scholarship in Information Technology.

The “Gators Give” Scholarships, which are fully funded through Northshore Technical Community College faculty and staff contributions, were awarded to Christopher Bellone (Madisonville), Shaun Morin (Denham Springs), Lauren Lore (Mandeville), Cheryl Beasley (McComb, Miss.), Rhiannon Carpenter (Bogalusa), Connor Tweedy (Ponchatoula), and Ashley Bradshaw (Bogalusa). The “She Means Business” Scholarship, supporting female students in STEM, Health Sciences, Business, and university transfer pathways, was awarded to Rod’Neishia Brumfield (Kentwood).

Five new scholarships established this year include the Northshore Home Builders Association / Louisiana Construction Education Foundation Scholarship in Construction Pathways, awarded to David Biondolillo Jr. (Mandeville), the Lee Memorial Automotive Technology Scholarship, awarded to Mary Osbourn (Mandeville), the Big Frog Custom T-Shirts Practical Nursing Scholarship, awarded to Ashlyn Malter (Slidell) and the Gator Gear Health Sciences Scholarship, awarded to Courtney McClain (Covington), and the Northshore Mustang Club and Banner Ford Scholarship in Automotive Technology, awarded to Wyatt Wilson (Loranger).

In addition to the scholarships provided through the Northshore College Enhancement Foundation, the Gene Haas Foundation provided scholarships in Machine Tool Technology for Payton Elkins (Ponchatoula) and Christopher Reynolds (Goodbee). The college awarded Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association scholarships in Veterinary Technology to Brooklynne Deforest (Covington), and Breanna Hoyt (Holden). Ruwayda Alsawadi (Holden) received the DXC Information Technology Scholarship for incoming students. The college also awarded DXC Information Technology scholarships to Jacob Elliot (Livingston), Justin Glover (Slidell), Antoria Lott (Livingston), Darius Martin (LaPlace), and Jason Sibley (Livingston).

To learn more about the scholarship opportunities for Northshore Technical Community College students or to make a donation to establish or support a scholarship fund, please visit northshorecollege.edu.