The Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Educational Foundation has awarded the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Scholarship to Austin Waddell of Covington. The award will assist with Waddell’s tuition and book expenses at DSLCC for the 2015-2016 academic year. Waddell will graduate in June from Covington High School and plans to enroll in DSLCC’s General Studies Program. Here, Martha Atherholt, right, President of the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, congratulates Waddell as the recipient of the 2015 Scholarship. The scholarship alternates each year between Alleghany and Covington High Schools.

Waddell Receives Chamber Scholarship   Clifton Forge, VA (May 20, 2015) — The Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Educational Foundation has awarded the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Scholarship to Austin Waddell of Covington. The award will assist with Waddell’s tuition and book expenses for one year at DSLCC and is part of the nearly $100,000 the non-profit educational foundation will award in merit and need-based scholarships for the 2015-2016 academic year. The son of Sonny and Carolyn Waddell, he will graduate in June from Covington High School. Waddell plans to enroll in DSLCC’s General Studies Program and, in the future, complete a degree in Business. Waddell is described by his teachers as “an exceptional leader with a respectful manner and hardworking attitude, who is very conscientious about his work and how he presents himself to others.” In addition to his academic pursuits, Waddell participated in athletics each year while a student at CHS. He was a member of the Varsity Track and Football teams as well as the Club Soccer Team. Waddell was selected as a First Team All-District Linebacker and Second Team All-District Offensive Lineman. He also received Honorable mention as a linebacker in the Western Gate Conference 45. Waddell was a member of the FBLA and FCCLA at CHS. He has contributed to his community through his participation in activities such as “Pumpkins in the Park” and the “Canned Food Drive.” He also has volunteered at the Homestead teaching snowboarding lessons. Waddell has been employed locally by Kentucky Fried Chicken and Long John Silvers as a cook and owns his own lawn and garden care business. The Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Scholarship was established in 2004 to assist deserving and qualified graduating seniors from Alleghany and Covington High Schools seek post-secondary education at DSLCC. The scholarship alternates each year between the two schools. In explaining the Chamber’s decision to establish a scholarship at DSLCC, Executive Director, Teresa Hammond said, “I can’t think of a more important way to invest in the future of this community than through educational opportunity. The Chamber realizes that making our community a better place in which to live must be done through education. When you invest in the future of our young people and our community, you will always get back more than you give,” continued Hammond. “In addition, DSLCC contributes in a large way to the area’s workforce; it’s very important that we are able to tell businesses and industries that we have skilled, trained people for them to hire.” The academic programs at DSLCC are critical to the economic growth and improved quality of life in our region. Together, the college and the educational foundation have the opportunity to help change the lives of service-area citizens by enabling them to successfully pursue post-secondary education, achieve positive life outcomes, and to build brighter futures. To learn how you can help the DSLCC Educational Foundation “Build Futures…Build Lives…Build Hope” for area citizens, contact Rachael Thompson by phone at 863-2837, by email at HYPERLINK "mailto:rthompson@dslcc.edu" rthompson@dslcc.edu, or access the foundation’s website at HYPERLINK "https://www.dslcc.edu" www.dslcc.edu.

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