The Thomas and Bettie O'Briant Memorial Scholarship

    

   The Thomas and Bettie O'Briant Memorial scholarship is all about giving back to the young people in our Guilford County community. Golf tournaments on all levels seek to be involved in community charitable activities. The Cardinal Amateur has been a leader in this endeavor dating back to 1983 when the first educational scholarship was announced. The scholarship is a $1500 award renewable for four years. A total of $6000 is awarded each year from the non-profit scholarship foundation which is administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro. It is open to any rising college freshman graduating from a Guilford County High School. The award is based primarily on the basis of need. The Thomas and Bettie O'Briant Memorial Scholarship is funded from proceeds received from the Cardinal Amateur Golf Tournament, a raffle held in conjunction with the golf tournament, as well as corporate and private donations. To date, 29 students have been awarded $102,500.
    We are pleased to award the 2010 scholarship to Judy Sisouvong. She is a recent graduate of Smith High School where she was ranked #1 in her class of 247 while taking AP/IB classes. She has an outstanding resume of school involvement including playing volleyball and being a member of the student government, Beta Club, and International Clubs. She served the community as well in the role of peer tutor, a "Santa Shopper" for disabled persons, and a blood drive volunteer. She managed to do all of these things while working part-time to financially help her family during these difficult employment times. Judy will attend N.C. State in the fall where she hopes to major in chemistry/chemical engineering. Her college adviser at Smith HS wrote "she is stands as an emblem of hope for all students to respect and admire". We are very proud to have her represent the O'Briant Scholarship.
     The Thomas and Bettie O'Briant Scholarship selection committee is also pleased to announce the renewal of the scholarships to Amanda Adams (2007) attending UNC-Chapel Hill, Amber McGraw (2008) attending NC State, and Karley Saffer (2009) attending UNC-Chapel Hill. Congratulations to all of these outstanding students.
     Tax-deductible contributions to the Thomas and Bettie O'Briant Memorial Scholarship can be made at any time throughout the year at the Cardinal Golf and Country Club. Anyone wishing to make a donation in honor or memory of family or friends is encouraged to consider the Thomas and Bettie O'Briant Memorial Scholarship.
 

Some observations by one of the Fund Directors:

If the Cardinal Amateur is important for no other reason, this scholarship makes it worthwhile.  Involvement in the scholarship fund has been one of the most moving and meaningful endeavors in my life.  In 1983, the organizers of the Cardinal Am began a fund to provide a scholarship to a deserving young person in Guilford County and since that date the tournament has been its primary source of funds.  The most important criteria for this award is need.  It is our desire to make the difference in some young person's life--we look at family finances, work record, extracurricular activities, personal references and volunteer experience when choosing among the many worthy candidates.  We choose the one who, with our help, can make it through college.  During all the years of the fund every recipient has graduated in four years.

Each year, the directors sift through thirty-five to forty applications.  The choice is never easy.  In the past we chose one young lady who was barely existing on food stamps while living with an aunt in return for baby-sitting--she graduated with a degree in nursing because of us--our support, both emotional and financial, made the difference.  Another success story is that of Holly Woodward who graduated in 2003 from NC State, Summa Cum Laude!