Six students have been awarded the Kay and Douglas Ivester Scholarship/Mary Inez Grindle Nursing Scholarship, designated to assist first-generation students as they pursue their education at Brenau.
Each receives a scholarship of $5,250 and has a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Established in 1993, the endowed scholarship is awarded annually for one year to first-generation undergraduate students pursuing a degree in the Ivester College of Health Sciences who live in Hall County.
Samir Huete, a psychology major from Gainesville, also received the scholarship last year and said the funds eased his financial stress.
“I am able to concentrate even more on my intellectual endeavors,” Huete said. “I am honored to have been chosen, and I will not take it for granted as I strive for excellence with the assistance of the Ivester Scholarship.”
The scholarship is funded by longtime Brenau supporters Kay and Doug Ivester, both natives of New Holland in Hall County. Doug Ivester, former chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Co., also has served as a Brenau trustee for many years.
The Ivesters are heavily involved in the success of Ivester College of Health Sciences. Last year, Doug Ivester opened the Gainesville Renaissance, a new multi-use building in downtown Gainesville that houses the Lynn J. Darby School of Psychology and Adolescent Counseling. The downtown location has facilitated expansion of the Darby School and its counseling clinic and academic programs, which added a doctorate this fall. The Ivesters also have supported a number of academic and athletic programs at Brenau.
In addition to Huete, recipients for the 2023-24 academic year are:
- Karina Gonzalez, nursing, Gillsville
- Laura Hernandez, nursing, Gainesville
- Jennifer Sepulveda, nursing, Gainesville
- Iriana Thompson, nursing, Gainesville
- Madison Tithof, nursing, Braselton