The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation has awarded University of Lynchburg nearly $250,000 to support scholarships for students in health-related fields.
The grant will provide $190,000 undergraduate nursing scholarships and $58,750 for general undergraduate scholarships, which the College will apply to students in health promotion, athletic training, and exercise physiology. The scholarships will support students enrolled during the 2017-2018 academic year.
“The scholarships provided by the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation have helped many University of Lynchburg students prepare for nursing careers,” said Dr. Jennifer Lloyd, director of the LC nursing program. “We are grateful for the foundation’s continued support as our nursing program grows and helps address the nation’s need for skilled nurses.”
The foundation has funded $3.3 million in scholarships at University of Lynchburg since 1980. The grants were earmarked for nursing students until 2014, when the foundation allowed the College to direct portions of the grant to students in other fields.
Originally from Bedford County, Virginia, Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans was a generous philanthropist and accomplished businesswoman. After the death of her husband Joseph B. Whitehead, she assumed management of his business affairs, including the Coca Cola Bottling Company in Atlanta, Georgia. She became one of the first female directors of any major U.S. corporation when she was appointed to the board of The Coca-Cola Company in 1934. She gave to numerous charities in Virginia and Georgia during her life. The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation supports the education of female students and the healthcare of elderly women in nine Southeastern states. The organization has awarded $583 million in grants since its founding in 1946. More information is available at lpwhitehead.org.
