Undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need will have access to three additional scholarships, thanks to generous support from donors.
“We’re incredibly grateful to our supporters for funding these vital scholarships and helping our undergraduate students achieve a degree,” said Vice President for Advancement Dr. Mike Bonnette. “This is truly a game-changer for any student with financial need.”
The Patricia Kinney Doyle Scholarship was established by trustee Julie Doyle in memory of her mother-in-law, Patricia Kinney Doyle ’80 MEd, an English professor at Lynchburg from 1979-91.
The scholarship is intended for undergraduate students in English or the arts with demonstrated financial need, particularly students “who share her love of literature or the arts,” said Doyle, who’s served on the board of trustees for 11 years and has supported a number of initiatives in the past.
Born in Chicago in 1937, Pat graduated in 1958 with a degree in English from St. Mary’s College in Indiana. She lived in Lynchburg, Virginia, from the time of her marriage in 1958 until her death in 2022. She took graduate courses at the University of Virginia and in 1980 earned her master’s degree in education from Lynchburg College.
“Pat loved teaching the works of William Faulkner, Anne Spencer, and many other authors, and she especially cherished the time spent with her students,” Doyle said. “Her students highly regarded her during their time at Lynchburg and many continued that praise long after graduation.”
The Allen Family Scholarship was established in 2021 by parents Maureen and Mike Allen, whose daughter Marisa received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Lynchburg. Mike retired from Microsoft in 2021 and currently serves on the University of Lynchburg Board of Trustees.
The couple recently pledged another $26,000 to the fund, which supports undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need and academic promise.
“We believe it’s important to give back, and the gift of higher education can change the trajectory of a person’s life,” said Mike, who’s also served with his wife as co-chairs of the Parents Council.
“The faculty, staff, and programs offered by the University of Lynchburg are some of the best in the country, and we hope this scholarship will help a student achieve their goals and dreams.”
Finally, the Dr. William McCaddin Pritchett ’38 Memorial Scholarship was established by John Pritchett in memory of his father, “Mac,” who studied social sciences at Lynchburg from 1934-38.
The fund supports undergraduate students from Virginia, with preference given to those from Brunswick County. Scholarship recipients must demonstrate financial need and be in good academic standing.
Pritchett said that his alma mater, Rice University, approached him about endowing a scholarship in 2022. It gave him an idea.
“I thought, ‘How much better to endow one to honor my father at his alma mater, Lynchburg, and to draw attention to his contributions to the history of Virginia and more particularly, Brunswick County?’” Pritchett said.
“His genealogical work was an outstanding jumping off point for my own research, for which I will be forever grateful.”
Working for a few years after high school, Mac left to attend Lynchburg with $50 in his pocket. He later received master’s degrees in education, economics, and agricultural economics.
He married Elizabeth Carolyn Vaughan in 1948 and the couple reared three sons and a daughter in Dallas. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas employed Mac in 1946 and he served until his retirement in 1979, relocating to Greensboro, North Carolina.
Although Mac lived in Texas for 33 years, his heart was in Virginia. Summer vacations were spent in Brunswick County, researching its history and gathering information on the families who lived there.
His most remarkable contribution to Brunswick County history and genealogy was the serialized publication in the Brunswick Times-Gazette of the family histories of some 1,100 Civil War soldiers from the county, which were later organized for publication in book form by his son.
In recognition of his contributions over a span of many years, the Family History Room at the Brunswick County Library is named for Mac.
To be eligible for these and other scholarships, simply apply for admission to the University of Lynchburg.
Give today to make a difference in the life of a Lynchburg student, program, or initiative. Mark your calendar for GiveDay on Tuesday, April 18.
