UGA alumni at The Home Depot come together to endow scholarship
The University of Georgia Corporate Alumni Chapter at The Home Depot is composed of a group of alumni who are very proud of their Bulldog roots. Beyond their fond memories at UGA, they have a collective, deep-seated belief that their education at the University of Georgia was instrumental in getting them to where they are today.
With that in mind, in 2017, they decided to embark on an ambitious project of creating an endowed need-based scholarship to open doors and remove barriers for students who wanted to attend UGA.
“For many, college is financially out of reach. They never get to experience a Thursday night in Athens, collegiate friendships that stand the test of time, or the feeling of accomplishment come graduation day,” said Wes Neece (BBA ’00) Vice President of Merchandising at The Home Depot. “It was important to me to join in this initiative with my fellow alumni colleagues to give a worthy individual a lifetime of experiences.”
The collective fundraising effort spanned three years. During this time, the Chapter hosted lunch and learn events featuring UGA faculty and staff speakers and breakfast meet-and-greets to encourage alumni giving. In support of its employees, The Home Depot Foundation matched the gifts these alumni made.
In 2020, their hard work paid off: The Chapter met their goal to create an endowed need-based scholarship. In total, 75 alumni came together to create this opportunity for UGA students. A deserving scholar was selected in Fall 2020. The Home Depot Alumni Chapter Scholarship will last in perpetuity, helping students become part of the Bulldog family.
Although they met their goal, these Bulldog alums didn’t stop there. Chapter members are continuing to add to the scholarship fund by giving their annual gift to UGA through The Home Depot Alumni Chapter Scholarship, in order to increase its impact for the student recipients.
“It was incredibly heartwarming to watch The Home Depot’s Corporate Alumni Chapter set a goal to help a current Bulldog in need and continue to work towards the finish line until they not only met that goal but surpassed it,” said Stacy Stanford, Director of Corporate Relations at UGA. “Their generosity as an alumni corporate chapter is inspiring.”
