DOTHAN – Attending graduate school at Troy University will be a little easier this year for single parent Crystal Christian, a community counseling graduate student from Daleville. During a recent ceremony on the Dothan Campus, the Troy University Alumni Association Wiregrass Chapter presented Christian with a $1,500 scholarship.

“It helps me out with my financial situation,” Christian said. “Being a single mother and widow, it really helps make school possible.”

In all, the Alumni Association handed out awards totaling $10,500 to nine Dothan Campus students. Scholarship recipients were chosen based on academic performance, leadership and community and school involvement.

Other full-time students receiving $1,500 awards included Mia Pittman of Blakely, Ga., and Bethany Brooks, Norris Danzey and Heather Quittschau of Dothan. Part-time students receiving checks for $750 included Amy Farver of Daleville, Phong Huynh of Dothan, Melissa Patterson of Ozark and Robbie Treadwell of Headland.

Freshman Bethany Brooks said the scholarship will make it possible for her to study chemistry at TROY.

“Financially I needed help to get here,” Brooks said. “This scholarship will allow me to pursue my studies here instead of at a junior college.”

Navy Veteran Norris Danzey was proud to be among the recipients. A community college transfer student, Danzey will major in elementary education at TROY.

“The Alumni Association thought enough of me to help me obtain my education,” Danzey said, “so I am determined not to fail them.”

The organization’s primary objective is to provide scholarships for deserving students, according to Gayla White, Alumni Association president-elect. Funding for the awards comes primarily from the alumni chapter’s largest event, the annual Troy University Alumni Association Jackson Thornton Invitational Golf Tournament presented by CenturyTel. This year’s tournament is scheduled for Thursday, September 27 at Highland Oaks in Dothan.

“This is our way of giving back to the University,” White said. “We also want to provide students with an opportunity to attend school and to become a part of TROY and all it has to offer.”

Corporate sponsors helping to make the scholarships possible include Jackson Thornton, CenturyTel, Nelnet Academic Loan, Covan World-Wide Moving, Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, Compass Bank, Dairy Fresh, Sodexho, Mike Schmitz Automotive Group, AmSouth Bank, ScreenTech, AB&T National Bank, Herndon Oil, Regions Bank, Photorama, WOOF 99.7, Sports Talk AM 560 WOOF “The Ball,” Coca-Cola, Mayer Electric Supply, Durden Outdoor, Scenic Cable Network, the Dothan Eagle, WDHN and WTVY.

For more information about alumni scholarships or the golf tournament, contact Gayla White at gaylaw@graceba.net.

Photo by: Inga Oberst/Troy University

Recipients of the Troy University Alumni Association Wiregrass Chapter Scholarship display their awards. The Alumni Association presented a total of $10,500 in financial assistance to nine outstanding TROY students, during a recent reception on the Dothan Campus. Pictured (front – left) are Troy University Interim Dothan Campus Vice Chancellor Bob Willis, Bethany Brooks of Dothan, Crystal Christian of Daleville, Robbie Treadwell of Headland, Alumni Association President-elect Gayla White; (back – left) Mia Pittman of Blakely, Ga., Norris Danzey of Dothan and Amy Farver of Daleville. Other recipients not pictured include Melissa Patterson of Ozark and Phong Huynh and Heather Quittschau of Dothan.