Carol and William “Bill” Conklin
William and Carol Conklin have spent decades guiding students at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
William, “Bill” to those who know him best, has been a valuable asset as a facilitator in the Student Learning Center, while Carol has been a dedicated instructor of developmental math.
But as they near retirement, the couple wanted to give one final, generous gift to serve FTCC students well into the future. They’ve donated $10,000 to FTCC Foundation to establish an endowment scholarship to benefit Nursing students.
“When Bill and I first discussed providing a scholarship for students, it was with the idea that we wanted to ‘give back’ to the students at FTCC,” Carol said. “The two of us have grown professionally over the years due to our contact with our students.”
Bill said he and Carol were especially moved by students pursuing careers in healthcare and the instructors who help them become career-ready, spurring them to create the scholarship specifically for Nursing students.
“Carol and I are impressed with the healthcare programs at our college,” he said. “We often encounter graduates when at clinics and at the hospital. We have friends that taught healthcare courses in the past. Our scholarship is just a token of our appreciation for those willing to serve others, often in times of great stress and need.”
Carol said the scholarship will help make education more affordable for deserving students.
“We have had many students who have not only appreciated our caring and compassionate demeanor, but who have benefited from our patience and instruction.” she said. “We have watched them achieve their goals. We wanted to reward deserving students, especially those in the healthcare field, with the ability to afford to continue their education.
“We hope there are others that will take our lead and do the same.”