North Georgia Technical College recently received a donation to begin the Haley Family Scholarship in honor of the Haley family and its legacy at the school. Jana Haley Cheek and husband, Buddy, from Toccoa gave the endowment because of the close ties her family shares with the school.
“We established the scholarship because NGTC has meant so much to my family for almost 50 years,” says Jana Cheek. “The college was, and continues to be, a place where people can obtain an excellent education and still feel like they are part of a big family.”
The Haleys moved to Clarkesville in 1969, so Jana’s father, Robert Haley, could begin working at NGTC as a guidance counselor. Over the years he went on to become Dean of Students and held many other titles over his 30-year career. Jana’s mother, Jinx Haley, spent time as a GED instructor at NGTC before beginning her career as an educator, teaching in Habersham County. During her time at North Habersham Junior High, Habersham Central High School, and Piedmont College, she encouraged many students to continue their education at North Georgia Tech.
“Our college is very appreciative of the Haley Family Scholarship, which will provide additional resources for students as they acquire valuable skills to earn a livable wage and contribute to our local area,” says NGTC president Dr. Mark Ivester. “The encouragement, support and dedication the Haley family has provided to NGTC throughout the years has been felt by students, faculty and staff alike and we are proud to have them as members of our community here at the college.”
The NGTC Foundation will use the Haley family gift to fund a general scholarship to any student with a documented financial need. The student will be required to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, provide an essay outlining financial need and career goals and be recommended by an instructor, counselor or employer. One student will be chosen to receive the first scholarship from this endowment for Spring 2019. For more information about scholarship opportunities at North Georgia Technical College, call 706-754-7714 or email [email protected].
Click here to read more about the Haley family.
