A new endowed scholarship at Laredo Community College will benefit students for years to come, thanks to a daughter’s devotion to the memory of her parents, whose lives were shaped by the Great Depression. Carol McGraw Renner of Laredo has donated $12,500 to LCC to establish the Ghern Johnson McGraw and Juanita Harvey McGraw memorial scholarship endowment.
“It is my desire to honor my deceased parents by establishing an endowment to fund (scholarships) for students in dire need of financial support and who otherwise would be unable to attend or continue at Laredo Community College,” said McGraw Renner.
The donor requested that $10,000 be earmarked for the endowment and that the remaining donation of $2,500 be awarded as student scholarships beginning this fall. As part of the donor agreement, LCC will match the original endowment.
McGraw Renner’s motivation to help LCC students stems from the memories her father shared about not having the financial ability to attend college during the Great Depression of the 1930’s.
“Years ago, my father had to withdraw from Oklahoma State University during his freshman year. It was the height of the Depression and little money was to be had for survival let alone to spend for education.”
Tuition to attend OSU at that time was only $5, say family members. But, because of the Depression, jobs were scarce and Ghern McGraw could not find a job to support his way through school and pursue his dream of becoming a physician. He went to work in the oilfields for 27 years.
“The G.J. and Juanita McGraw scholarship is intended to help students, like my father, who do not qualify for other sources of financial aid, but are qualified for assistance as measured by their entrance exam scores or by having successfully completed college level work with a ‘C’ or better,” explained McGraw Renner.
McGraw Renner is married to Richard Renner, who is a longtime faculty member and the chair of the Science Department at LCC. Mr. Renner remembers the financial struggles he experienced as a student in a community college and the first scholarship he received.
“I remember what a relief it was to get that scholarship,” said Renner. “I’m glad that this new scholarship opportunity will help some LCC students overcome a financial roadblock to realizing their dreams.”
This new endowed scholarship is the second named after a McGraw family member. In the late 1980s, a scholarship endowment was created in memory of James Michael McGraw, brother of Mrs. McGraw Renner. Today, the interest earned from the endowment continues to benefit students in the fine arts, especially theater arts majors. James Michael McGraw was pursuing a theater arts degree when he died of leukemia in 1987. As a student, he commented on the lack of scholarships available for theater arts majors. After his death, family members felt it would be appropriate to create a scholarship for theater arts students and to help them reach a goal that James Michael was unable to fulfill.
For more information about student scholarships, contact the LCC Financial Aid Office by calling 721-5361. Office hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Laredo Community College Science Department Chair Richard Renner (center) recently met with college administrators to present, on behalf of his wife Carol McGraw Renner, a gift of $12,500. The donation establishes a new scholarship endowment in memory of McGraw Renner’s parents, G.J. and Juanita McGraw. On hand for the presentation were, L-R, Development Director Millie Slaughter, Renner and Vice-President for Instruction and Student Development Dr. Juan Maldonado.
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