Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Giving scholarships is deeply satisfying

I discovered some years ago that I have an unusual knack for giving away other people’s money. Not only is it easy to do, it is highly satisfying.

That is only one of the reasons I look forward to the annual scholarship and awards ceremony at Eastern New Mexico University. This year’s version happened Tuesday, and 418 students left the Campus Union Ballroom with a total of $376,000 worth of scholarships.

I started attending this event about 20 years ago when my Uncle Jack Williamson was getting up in years and asked if I’d fill in for him one year to pass out the scholarships given in his name. As I said, giving away other people’s money is a piece of cake. Who was I to say no?

I was hooked immediately. This event is the Thanksgiving and Christmas of the academic year at a university — plus a bittersweet time to remember some of the finest individuals who ever lived in this community. Here is just a handful picked from the dozens of named scholarships Eastern awards each year:

• Arvel Branscum — his named scholarship assists a business major, but I will always remember a perpetually cheerful man whose delighted welcome always brightened a day.

• Minnie Navarro — generations of ENMU students were counseled by this gentle soul who helped us navigate the trail to graduation. It is fitting that the scholarship given in her name assists female students who are widowed, divorced, or single parents.

• Carl and Ruby Parker — the Parkers led travel groups from eastern New Mexico all over the world. Their endowed scholarship helps elementary education majors prepare to open up new worlds to their future students.

• Dallan Sanders — there was never a finer cheerleader for ENMU and eastern New Mexico than Dallan. It will surprise no one who knew him that the scholarship given in his name is for “meritorious service” and requires applicants to submit an essay about what the terms “work ethic” and “community service” mean to them, and how they contribute to higher education.

• Dr. Herbert E. Bergstrom — Dr. B. was one of the first students to attend Eastern, later a faculty member, and a beloved Baptist pastor to many local congregations. His memorial scholarship assists a humanities major in financial need.

• Peggy Tozer — the longtime former director of Golden Library was my first boss when I was a Greyhound long years ago. She was kind and fair and funny. She never married or had children, but it would be impossible to count the number of young lives who continue to be assisted by the ongoing scholarships in her name to students in anthropology, English, music, and theater.

“Our named scholarships are incredible at helping specific deserving students each year,” according to Noelle Bartl, executive director of the ENMU Foundation, and she added that contributions to departments and to the university general fund also provide important support to all students.

“Offering scholarships benefits the students not only in the ability to help them attend college now,” Bartl added, “but also in the long run to reduce their debt upon graduation.”

Few of the students who received scholarships on Tuesday ever knew the individuals who made those gifts possible; many of them were born after their benefactors were long gone from this earth.

But for those of us who have been here for a lifetime, each year this ceremony is a chance to reconnect with names and memories that are very dear to this school and this community … and pass out money to deserving young scholars.

I wouldn’t miss it for anything.

Betty Williamson will be happy to give away your money, too. You may contact her at: [email protected]