Augusta Technical College has announced the creation of the Robert Fields Annual Scholarship, established to support students pursuing careers in construction-related fields.
The scholarship was created in memory of Robert A. Fields by his cousin, Adrian Arnold of Sacramento, Calif., and was unveiled Dec. 5 during a surprise gathering at Augusta Tech with Fields’ friends and family, including his mother, Elease Harris.
Fields, who died in 2011, lived in the CSRA, where many of his family members still reside, according to a press release from Augusta Technical College.
“My cousin, Robert A. Fields, was dedicated to a lifetime of improving himself and those around him,” Arnold said in the announcement. “As an honor to his mother, Ms. Elease Harris, I chose to financially support the construction trades students at Augusta Tech. Prayerfully, these resources will be used to assist many in improving their educational endeavors in her son’s name.”
Arnold, a clinical informatics nurse originally from Augusta, said she admires Augusta Tech for its dedication to students and the broader community.
The scholarship will be administered by the Augusta Tech Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that raises and distributes philanthropic support for the college’s workforce education mission, according to a press release from Augusta Technical College.
“We are delighted to help Ms. Arnold honor her cousin with this new scholarship,” said Cheryl Ciucevich, Augusta Tech’s vice president for institutional advancement. “Although our tuition and fees are much lower than other colleges in the area, most of our students face financial barriers to accessing good-paying, sustainable careers. Scholarships like the Fields Scholarship ensure that more people in our community will be able to achieve their goals.”
Annual scholarships at Augusta Tech can be established with a minimum commitment of $500 per year for at least three years.
Endowed scholarships begin at $10,000 and can be funded over several years, according to a press release from Augusta Technical College.
For more information on funding scholarships at Augusta Tech, contact the Foundation office at 706-771-4023 or foundation@augustatech.edu.
