The Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation, Inc. donated $.25 million to “step up” Lanier Technical College program offerings and to provide credential-saving scholarships to students in need.
Per the signed agreement, $500,000 will be awarded to the Auto Collision Technology, Diesel
Equipment Technology, Nurse Aid and the Welding and Joining Technology Lanier Tech Dual
Enrollment Programs. The aforementioned Lanier Tech academic programs are located at Ivester
Early College, Ivester North and Lanier College and Career Academy (LCCA). This funding is
planned to cover program costs including instructor salaries, program supplies and basic equipment.
Additionally, the remaining $500,000 will be placed into the Lanier
Technical College Foundation for a Scholarship Endowment Fund to be officially named the “Tim
McDonald Scholarship. “This scholarship is named after Lanier Tech’s current President. With the annual endowment growth over time, the Ivester Foundation desires that
individual scholarships of up to $1,000 be awarded annually to students with a tuition, supply, book,
and/or fee balance due to the college.
Concurrently, The Ivester Foundation has agreed to make an additional one-time donation of $25,000
to fund the initial Tim McDonald Scholarships in 2026. The funding from the Tim McDonald
Scholarship will be made available to awardees on January 1, 2026.