Primary Media Contact: Holly Walker, Public Relations Manager, 804-594-1530

Secondary Media Contact: Heather Busch, Creative Services Manager, 804-594-1532

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Education can change lives, but sometimes, the pathway to college can seem overwhelming, especially for those who must also work, care for their families, or have concerns about financial responsibilities. Scholarships can remove that barrier, and this academic year, the Brightpoint Community College Foundation awarded $282,418 in scholarships to 155 students. The Foundation’s scholarship program, made possible through the generous support of individuals, businesses and organizations, includes need- and achievement-based scholarships, as well as scholarships designated for students in specific majors or from certain geographic areas.

Students report that scholarships ease financial stresses; give them opportunities to adjust their work schedules so they can spend more time on their studies; and show them there is a community that supports them and wants them to succeed. “Students tell us that receiving a scholarship not only makes a big difference for them financially, but also gives them a confidence boost,” said Brightpoint Community College Foundation Executive Director Rachel Biundo.

The 2022-23 scholarship recipients and the donors who supported them were honored during a Scholarship Celebration event held December 2, 2022, in the Nicholas Center at Brightpoint’s Chester Campus. During the event, Peters Eliades, chair of the Brightpoint Community College Foundation, spoke about the importance of supporting students through scholarships. Attendees also heard from a panel of scholarship recipients, made up of three current Brightpoint students and one alumna, who shared their personal stories and talked about the impact scholarships have.

  • Iman Alabbasi worked as a science teacher but wanted to be a nurse. After her children got a little older, she decided to go back to school to pursue her dream. Now in the college’s hybrid nursing program, Alabbassi said she felt proud when learned of her scholarship and is grateful to know someone cares about her and supports her as she balances classes with her other responsibilities. 
  • Kelsey Smith realized she wanted to become a kindergarten teacher after helping her young children adjust to learning remotely during the COVID pandemic. However, after life-changing events impacted two of her children, she was not sure her goal was possible. Smith said the scholarship she received helped ease the financial burdens her family faced and also bolstered her sense of community, knowing that people were pulling for her to succeed. 
  • Spencer Werneth became passionate about healthcare after experiencing how medical providers cared for a loved one battling a difficult illness. He earned an Emergency Medical Technician certification while in high school and is now pursuing an associate degree in nursing. He said the scholarship he received helped him reduce the number of hours he has to work, so he can spend more time on his classes. 
  • Alexandria O’Neill planned to go to a four-year university right out of high school, but family circumstances led to a change of plans. O’Neill said her unexpected path turned out to be life-changing. At Brightpoint, then John Tyler, O’Neill found a support network, a major she loved, and financial support through the Foundation’s scholarship program, all of which helped her thrive. After becoming one of the college’s first engineering graduates, O’Neill transferred, earned her bachelor’s degree, and now, she is just months away from completing her master’s degree and moving into a career in hospital administration.

“Bringing our students and our scholarship supporters together is one of the highlights of the year at Brightpoint. Each attendee, as well as the students and alumna who shared their stories, are beautiful examples of the impact we can make as a community, one individual at a time, one dream at a time,” said Biundo.

The list of students awarded scholarships for the 2022-23 academic year includes:

AdvanSix Endowed Scholarship Brianna Berou (23114)
Alcoa Company Endowed Scholarship Jacquelene Foster (23805)
American Society of Highway Engineers - Old Dominion Section Scholarship Elijah Edens (23901)
American Society of Highway Engineers - Old Dominion Section Scholarship Rachel Epps (23838)
Amsted Rail Company, Inc. Endowed Scholarship Charles Everett (23834)
Amsted Rail Company, Inc. Endowed Scholarship Jack Ferguson (23139)
Amsted Rail Company, Inc. Endowed Scholarship Michael Perry (23139)
Betty White Talley Endowed Scholarship Sadie Bivins (23834)
Betty White Talley Endowed Scholarship Juliana Owens (23860)
Blair E. Underwood Endowed Scholarship Madalynn Brown (23834)
Brandermill Rotary Scholarship Kelsy Smith (23805)
Brightpoint Allied Health Preparation, Pre-Nursing Scholarship Samantha Talamantes (23236)
Brightpoint Allied Health Preparation, Pre-Nursing Scholarship Kameron Walters (23112)
Brightpoint Foundation Art Endowed Scholarship Renee Penland (23234)
Brightpoint Foundation Business Endowed Scholarship Nathan Anderson (23139)
Capital One Endowed Scholarship Tyler Asbell (23113)
Capital One Endowed Scholarship Elizabeth Cooper (23220)
Capital One Endowed Scholarship Sarah Emanuele (23103)
Capital One Endowed Scholarship Brandy Flippo (23231)
Capital One Endowed Scholarship Cheyenne Gerlach (23237)
Capital One Endowed Scholarship Maya Lindsey (23112)
Carl Zeiss Endowed Scholarship Nathan Willis (23831)
Carolyn and Floyd Raspiller Memorial Endowed Scholarship Margaret Cahoon (23229)
Catherine Naomi Hinson Wyatt Memorial Endowed Scholarship Demetris Crawley (23803)
Christopher Nelson Sloan Scholarship Skye Bryant (23830)
Christopher Nelson Sloan Scholarship Justin Carawan (23114)
CJW Medical Center Endowed Nursing Scholarship Ashley Rozario (23114)
CJW-Brightpoint Nurse Externship Scholarship Jennifer Benton (23838)
CJW-Brightpoint Nurse Externship Scholarship Symantha Crocker (23111)
CJW-Brightpoint Nurse Externship Scholarship Charlyn Todd (23803)
Clara Barton Scholarship Shalisa Borden (23237)
Clara Barton Scholarship Ana Karolina Paiva (23120)
Commander Family Scholarship Deborah Ayala Rivera (23834)
Commander Family Scholarship Abigail Farrow (23831)
Commander Family Scholarship Makayla Pate (23836)
David and Esther Grinnan Memorial Scholarship Roy Gichuru (23832)
Dominion Resources Endowed Scholarship Caleb Geoghegan (23112)
Dominion Resources Endowed Scholarship Jacob Reyes (23838)
Dominion Resources Endowed Scholarship Karis Traylor (23112)
Dominion Resources Endowed Scholarship Jonathan Webber (23237)
Doster-Via Family Scholarship Caitlin Garza (23002)
Doster-Via Family Scholarship Morgan Whitmore (23832)
Edwin D. Jordan Memorial Endowed Scholarship Keyli Jimenez Garcia (23838)
Edwin D. Jordan Memorial Endowed Scholarship Alexis Stringer (23112)
Ellen Lucas Memorial Scholarship presented by Patient First David Acosta (23075)
Erika Grant Poindexter Scholarship Tifanny Cortes (23112)
Follett Higher Education Group Scholarship Dylan Brown (23236)
Follett Higher Education Group Scholarship Murphy MacGregor-Levy (23832)
Follett Higher Education Group Scholarship Jana Stock (23834)
Full Moon Madness Endowed Scholarship Logan Stafford (23832)
George H. Eliades Memorial Scholarship Hunter Smith (23860)
Grohusky STEM Scholarship Charles E. Gendrow IV (23894)
Hercules, Inc. Endowed Scholarship Jahmeel Campbell (23831)
Homer C. Eliades Memorial Endowed Scholarship LaTika Lee (23234)
James L. Cosby Sr. Scholarship in Accounting Regina Payne (23831)
James W. (Jim) Bynum Scholarship Rose Bustamante (23112)
James W. (Jim) Bynum Scholarship Julianna Velasquez (23234)
John Randolph Medical Center Auxiliary Endowed Scholarship Shanna Keaton (23832)
John Randolph Medical Center Auxiliary Endowed Scholarship Lauren Stewart (23139)
Laurie Swanson McCants Memorial Endowed Nursing Scholarship Taghreed Saleh (23834)
MACEST Scholarship Jesse Landis (23040)
Margaret G. Lewis Endowed Scholarship Julia Spaine (23834)
Margaret G. Lewis Endowed Scholarship Morgan Traylor (23885)
Margaret G. Lewis Endowed Scholarship Jaisha Williams (23114)
Margaret G. Lewis Endowed Scholarship Lauren Worley (23002)
Marshall W. Smith Endowed Scholarship Anderson Dahdouh (23112)
Marshall W. Smith Endowed Scholarship Hanna Hathaway (23139)
Marshall W. Smith Endowed Scholarship Vanesa Linares (23226)
Maude and M. Dale Kerby Memorial Scholarship Anna Saakian (23220)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Endowed Nursing Scholarship Lyndsey Graham (23838)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Endowed Nursing Scholarship Carmen Herrera Gomez (23832)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Endowed Nursing Scholarship Hayley Moss (23139)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Endowed Nursing Scholarship Merilyn Zinkwich (23112)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Nursing Scholarship Batoul Abdelhay (23235)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Nursing Scholarship Iman Alabbasi (23060)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Nursing Scholarship Lila Bishwokarma (23112)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Nursing Scholarship Chanler Callaham (23236)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Nursing Scholarship Breanna Harrison (23803)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Nursing Scholarship Javkhlantuya Johnson (34787)
Metropolitan Health Foundation Inc. Nursing Scholarship Maren Reich (23832)
Mike and Lynn White Endowed Scholarship Alvaro Huarhua-Tapia (23112)
Nursing's Future Scholarship Jasmin Ascencio (23832)
OCLYN Memorial Scholarship in Nursing Spencer Werneth (23059)
Preston H. and Ann K. Leake Endowed Scholarship Aaqib Azeez (23229)
Preston H. and Ann K. Leake Endowed Scholarship Angela Killion (23838)
Preston H. and Ann K. Leake Endowed Scholarship Maryna Nikulin (23226)
Rena Mallory Scholarship Ray Clemons (23060)
Robert E. (Bob) Preston Scholarship Grace Hennessey (23112)
Ronald D. Laux Memorial Endowed Scholarship Ladiera Fowler (23803)
Ronald D. Laux Memorial Endowed Scholarship Lily Suddreth (23114)
Sandy and Ed Via Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship Somros Chang (23832)
Sandy and Ed Via Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship Tifanny Cortes (23112)
Sandy and Ed Via Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship Miranda Dearbeck (23139)
Suntrust Bank Endowed Scholarship Mykhaylo Bridun (23060)
Suntrust Bank Endowed Scholarship Aubrie Camp (23834)
The ALSTOM Power - "Education is Power" Endowed Scholarship Conner Donnelly (23139)
The BB&T Bank Endowed Scholarship Cole Vita (23114)
The Brooks Family Scholarship in honor of Burt and Florence Brooks Saamiya Mohammed (23233)
The Brooks Family Scholarship in honor of Burt and Florence Brooks Samantha Pegram (23831)
The Cairo-Nowinski Family Endowed Scholarship Brittany Woolridge (23075)
The Chester Rotary/Thomas L. Haynes Memorial Endowed Scholarship Andre Abou Khazen (23139)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Hadley Capshaw (23112)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Trevor Corcoran (23838)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Emily Harrison (23831)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Sarah Jackson (23112)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Savannah Jacocks (23112)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Jalyn Jimenez Garcia (23838)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Ibraheem Masood (23832)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Sean O'Brien (23112)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Lance Olayvar (23236)
The Chesterfield County Scholarship Laina Smith (23832)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Alexandria Davis (23234)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Anna Davis (23832)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Taylor Davis (23112)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Mary Early (23235)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Marisa Gottschalk (23114)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Katherine Leon (23832)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Matthew Nowacki (24551)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Vladimir Paraschiv (23223)
The Dennis and Hanh Hellenguard Scholarship Wilson Seward (23834)
The DuPont Endowed Scholarship Mrafi Abdelrahman (23112)
The DuPont Endowed Scholarship Jasmine Scott (23139)
The DuPont Endowed Scholarship Sophia Yendrek (23113)
The DuPont Spruance Scholarship Matthew Biles (23831)
The DuPont Spruance Scholarship Dominic White (23801)
The Excellence in Biology Endowed Scholarship Jonathan Mooney (23112)
The Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship Hayden Bayles (23803)
The Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship Shelby Lail (23803)
The Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship Andre Lewter (23832)
The Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship Heilie Sheppard (23885)
The Midlothian Ruritan Club Scholarship Courtney Miller (23112)
The Neall Family Charitable Foundation Scholarship Fogofoluwa Adeniyan (23235)
The Neall Family Charitable Foundation Scholarship Claudia Vincent (22015)
The Nova Huckaby Endowed Scholarship Sydney Chewning (23223)
The Nova Huckaby Endowed Scholarship Daniesha Johnson (23237)
The Philip Morris Career/Technical Scholarship Victoria Banks (23112)
The Philip Morris Career/Technical Scholarship Zachary Goodman (23220)
The Philip Morris Career/Technical Scholarship Brian Miller (23234)
The Verizon Endowed Scholarship Aurora Allen (23234)
The Verizon Endowed Scholarship Jordan Woodfin (23831)
Theresa Hands Windham Memorial Endowed Scholarship Erin Elam (23139)
Tobacco Region Scholarship at Brightpoint Community College Ryley Allen (23840)
Tobacco Region Scholarship at Brightpoint Community College Ahmed Anjum (23840)
Tobacco Region Scholarship at Brightpoint Community College Kaylee Bryant (23803)
Tobacco Region Scholarship at Brightpoint Community College Ashley Little (23803)
Trailblazer Endowed Scholarship LeAnne Ruiz (23235)
Trailblazer Endowed Scholarship Kianna Thomas (23225)
Trailblazer Endowed Scholarship James Walton (23230)
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Robert E. Lee Post #2239 Scholarship Casey Belt (23223)
Virginia Propane Gas Association Endowed Scholarship Jack Anderson (23139)
Wachovia Wells Fargo Endowed Scholarship Ashlie Butler (23836)
Waste Management Inc. Endowed Scholarship Shae Tompkins (23083)
William H. Talley, III Endowed Scholarship Joshua Adkins (23803)
William H. Talley, III Endowed Scholarship Yomna Metwaly (23834)
William H. Talley, III Endowed Scholarship Jason Taylor (23860)
William H. Talley, III Endowed Scholarship Jessa Winstead (23842)

The Scholarship Celebration event was made possible with the support of the following sponsors:

Trailblazer Society Sponsors
National Student Clearinghouse
Virginia Asset Management

President’s Society Sponsors
Amsted Rail
Virginia529

Partner’s Society Sponsors
Brown Edwards
Patient First
William H. Talley & Son, Inc.

To learn more about the Brightpoint Foundation Scholarship Program, visit www.brightpoint.edu/foundation. To see photographs from the Scholarship Celebration event, go to https://www.flickr.com/photos/brightpointccva/albums/72177720304302587.

The Brightpoint Community College Foundation secures resources that provide scholarships for students; fund academic programs, student support services, capital projects, and renovations to modernize classrooms and labs; and stimulate innovation within the college faculty and staff. This work ensures the college continues its pledge of providing academic excellence to students while expanding the services it offers to meet the community’s workforce requirements. Since most of the college’s graduates live and work in the area, gifts to the Foundation are an investment in both students and the community.

Brightpoint Community College, formerly John Tyler Community College, offers more than 80 majors that provide pathways to careers in high-demand fields; transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities; and industry credentials and licensures. The college, with campuses in Chester and Midlothian, online classes, and off-campus classrooms, served more than 11,400 students during the 2021-22 academic year. It also assisted approximately 5,700 learners, including more than 2,700 job seekers, through its workforce development division, Community College Workforce Alliance, a partnership between Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges.

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