Trustee Dan White Endows Five Upson High School Scholarships Roosevelt Lecture Series Fine Performing Arts Series at Gordon State College

BY: STEVE ARGO, DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
BARNESVILLE, GA - Dan White has maintained a long and close relationship with Gordon State College for many years – primarily as a Trustee on the Gordon State College Foundation, a position he still maintains today, as well as a loyal donor to the institution.
But White recently took his philanthropy to a new level as the Yatesville High School graduate presented a landmark $255,000 gift to the Gordon State College Foundation at the February 19 GSC Board of Trustees meeting.
The $255,000 gift, which included an introduction and recognition of White with a standing ovation during the February 19 meeting, will be designated toward a combination of eight endowed scholarships, an endowed lecture series and an endowed Fine & Performing Arts series.
The new endowments will include four Bill and Doris White Endowed Scholarships, four Franklin D. Roosevelt Endowed Scholarships, the Constance H. Chinery Fine & Performing Arts Endowed Fund in memory of White’s aunt, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Lecture Series.
In 2011, White endowed the first scholarship named for his parents, Bill and Doris White Scholarships, along with the first Roosevelt Scholarship commemorating FDR’s speech at Gordon on August 11, 1938 which inaugurated rural electricity in Georgia through the Rural Electrification Association (REA) and Lamar Electric Membership Corporation EMC.
As the parents of six children, Bill and Doris raised their family in Yatesville where their children were educated in Upson County schools. White’s parents developed a deep respect for all the rural teachers and administrators who made their children’s education such a rich and rewarding experience.
In that spirit, the Bill and Doris White Scholarships are targeted to Upson High School graduates as a thank you to the citizens of Upson County for the wonderful public education received by their children. White’s parents belief in the power of public education insures that these scholarships will help transform and improve the lives of Upson County students for years to come.
Students interested in applying for a Gordon State College Foundation Scholarships can visit our webpage to download the application at www.gordonstate.edu/scholarships.
"Dan's leadership and contributions to this institution and community have been outstanding," GSC President Dr. Kirk A. Nooks said. "His generosity speaks to his desire to make a difference within this region. This investment will literally be a gift that keeps on giving. We arrived at this moment because of people who built an institution that means so much to so many. Future generations will benefit from this transformational legacy. That is truly the Power of We!”
White grew up in Yatesville after his family moved to Upson County in 1963. He graduated from Georgia Tech. Gordon State College, however, was never far from his mind since other family members attended the college. White has been a generous supporter of the Fine & Performing Arts program and the History program at Gordon State College. He also strongly believes in what the institution means to this region.
“I have seen this institution grow to what it is today, an educational resource for our region,” White said. “The personal investment on my part into this institution is to help further its mission regionally and statewide.
“There are many ways to enhance the experience at Gordon, and I encourage others to invest in students whose access to college education is right here. My focus is students from rural areas. It is incredible to see the changes that have occurred here over my lifetime and realize what a treasure it is. ”
White is the co-founder and director of The Rural Library Project, Inc., a nonprofit organization working with rural municipalities to establish or improve public libraries. He is also a partner and chief financial officer with Passive Solar Design and Construction, Inc.
White also maintains membership on the Roosevelt Warm Springs (Ga.) Advisory Committee and is a volunteer with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cancer Hospice in Atlanta.
"This gift is transformational, and we appreciate the long lasting legacy that Dan White is leaving for the students and programs at Gordon State College for many years to come," said Montrese Adger Fuller, Vice President of Advancement, External Relations and Marketing at GSC and Executive Director of the Gordon State College Foundation.