John and Rita Pelham fund new technical scholarship for Hill College students

  Jessyca Brown
  Thursday, October 29, 2020 4:12 PM
  Academics

Hillsboro, TX

CLEBURNE, TEXAS—John and Rita Pelham of Granbury are helping to expand educational opportunities for Hill College students with a recent $1,000 scholarship donation.

The John and Rita Pelham Technical Scholarship will be awarded annually to deserving Hill College students who are pursuing either a certificate or degree in a technical field.

“The Pelhams’ timely development of a technical scholarship will help students choose a program of study leading to direct employment in the workforce or provide aid for students interested in retraining for a new career field,” said Hill College President Dr. Pam Boehm. “Hill College appreciates their friendship and support of student success.”

John Pelham said he and his wife were inspired to give the scholarship after touring the state-of-the-art technical facilities at the Hill College Cleburne Technical Center.  

“Rita and I both came from hard working families and have seen the need for trained, skilled technicians of all trades,” he said. “We felt a need to provide whatever support we could for students in those programs.”

Students eligible for the scholarship must maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher and be a current dual credit student, high school graduate or have their GED. The scholarship money will be divided between the fall and spring semesters and may be applied towards tuition, fees, tools, equipment and/or books. Hill College will select the recipient.

The Pelhams have been longtime supporters of Hill College. In 2013, they worked with The Energy Professionals Association (TEPA) to provide the Hill College Keith Pelham Memorial Scholarship in honor of their late son and Hill College alumnus, which awards $250-$500 each semester to students pursuing a degree in business, engineering, marketing, accounting, or similar field. Keith was a founding member of TEPA.

“We have been privileged to support a scholarship for Hill College students for the last several years and have seen the positive impact these funds can have for students who need them,” John Pelham said. “This scholarship will further that experience as it supports students entering technical fields of study, and we are honored to do so.”

Students interested in applying for the scholarship can visit www.hillcollege.edu, click ‘Apply Now’ from the home page and then choose ‘Scholarships’ from the dropdown menu.

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