Where Opportunity Meets Determination: Scholarship Funds in Action

Posted June 17, 2024 under: ,

Pictured left to right: Hope Johnson, Counselor at Fern Creek High School; Ellie Smith, Scholarship Coordinator at Community Foundation of Louisville; Diego Guerro, Scholarship Recipient; Joy Steinrock, Community Foundation fundholder; Dr. Rebecca Nicolas, Principal of Fern Creek

Pictured left to right: Hope Johnson, Counselor at Fern Creek High School; Ellie Smith, Scholarship Coordinator at Community Foundation of Louisville; Diego Guerro, Scholarship Recipient; Joy Steinrock, Community Foundation of Louisville fundholder; Dr. Rebecca Nicolas, Principal of Fern Creek

Imagine you’re a student again, and suddenly, a group of people come into your classroom with a big check announcing that your college tuition is fully paid. Waves of excitement and disbelief roll over you as one of the biggest obstacles to having a successful future just got removed.

That’s what students Diego and Emily (see pictured) felt this past May as our Philanthropic Services team and Joy Steinrock, Community Foundation fundholder, surprised students who were selected for the William J. Kircher Memorial Scholarship.

Joy is the niece of William J. Kircher and honors her Uncle’s legacy through her family’s Scholarship Fund, which was created to help graduates from Jefferson Country Public School cover their college or university expenses. While the Community Foundation of Louisville is home to many scholarship opportunities, none of these scholarships would be possible without the generosity of individuals who partnered with the Foundation to create a Scholarship Fund.

We are grateful that we get to work alongside fundholders like Joy to steward her family’s legacy and create meaningful change in and beyond Louisville. Our fundholders’ shared values of easier access for students of all ages to achieve their academic goals have resulted in over 90 Scholarship Funds being created to benefit students across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Since last December, the Foundation’s Scholarship program has:

  • Received 886 applicants
  • Recruited 186 reviewers to look through applications and make recommendations
  • Awarded 175 new scholarships totaling $846,700

If you, your family, or your company have a passion for opening pathways to educational opportunities for students, both young and old, contact the Foundation today to set up a Scholarship Fund.