The dream of leaving high school and entering college came true for eight local students thanks to the Joseph B. Freeman Jr. Educational Fund. The Freeman Fund is a scholarship fund formed by area business leaders 19 years ago to provide financial assistance to high school students from Cleveland County schools. The fund is designed for students who qualify academically for college but whose unique situations might otherwise prevent them from attending. During a presentation at the Cleveland County Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, June 22, eight Cleveland County teenagers received financial awards ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 from the Freeman Fund. Since the scholarship’s inception, at least one Freeman Fund recipient has enrolled each year at Gardner-Webb University. This year, four of the recipients plan to attend Gardner-Webb.
Established in 1991, the scholarship was named for the late Joseph B. Freeman, who for many years was head of the Interstate Johnson Lane office in Shelby, N.C. Throughout his life, Freeman was a visible supporter of educational pursuits in Cleveland County. Each recipient of the Freeman Fund was evaluated by his or her academics, extracurricular activities, personal influences, motivation, and financial need. A committee of local business leaders with Gardner-Webb officials awards the scholarships after an evaluation process examines all candidates. The scholarship fund was established when several local business leaders saw the need to recognize students who excelled in these areas.
Senior Vice-President for Community Relations at Gardner-Webb, Scoot Dixon, who introduced this year’s recipients, counts it as a privilege to be a part of this event. “Mr. Freeman was an outstanding person and involved citizen in our community. To honor his memory through a scholarship is indeed fitting,” said Dixon.
