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Queens University of Charlotte Give to Queens Spotlight Stories Scholars Luncheon 2011
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Scholars Luncheon 2011
On April 14, 2011, scholarship donors and their student recipients gathered to celebrate Queens' seventh annual Scholars Luncheon,
"Building Strong Foundations." Each spring, this special Queens event allows donors and their scholars the opportunity to connect in
person. For donors, it's an opportunity to meet the talented students they support; for students, it means a chance to say "thankyou" faceto
face.
Emily Knowles, senior benefit consultant at Benefit Controls Company, delivered this year's keynote address and shared a moving
testimony of her decision to establish The Robert Knowles Communication Scholarship at Queens in memory of her late husband Bob
Knowles, news anchor for WBTV in Charlotte.
"After one meeting with President Pamela Davies, it was clear to me that Queens was the absolute right place for Bob's scholarship," she
said. "The quality of this institution, Pamela's commitment to a very progressive future, the degree to which faculty and staff were so
connected to the students, and the fact that Queens truly represents the essence of what is best about Charlotte, easily convinced me that
Queens would best represent what was important to Bob."
Quoting Marianne Williamson, Emily praised donors in the audience for "letting their light shine by giving so generously to the next
generation who will serve the world." In closing, she challenged the students present to "go boldly, and while life can be bumpy, know that
you are getting a very special start here at Queens."
The program included heartfelt testimonials from three current scholarship recipients. Taking the stage after a brief video highlighting her
experience on this year's Guatemala Mission Trip, Leslie Pitman '11, Willie Choate Hampton Presidential Scholar and graduating senior,
said: "I will always return here with a grateful heart, remembering those whose support made my journey at Queens possible." Adora Reid,
'12, North Carolina Teaching Fellow, eloquently thanked those present for "having the hearts to give to students who have so much
potential to grow if only given the chance."
Craven Crockett, a junior business major and Pauline Lewis Fellow in Queens' Hayworth College, shared his journey to Queens and
moved the audience with his commitment to pursuing higher education: "Born and raised in a singleparent home of three brothers and
sisters in one of Charlotte's most impoverished neighborhoods, it was inevitable that the odds were stacked against me. But now I stand
before you, not as a victim of the environment that was once bestowed upon me, but a product of the Queens environment that you all have
helped create."
Echoing the theme of this year's event, "Building Strong Foundations," President Pamela Davies reminded Queens' donors and friends of
the pivotal role they play in preparing students for successful lives. "Every one of you here today makes a significant and permanent
difference in the lives of our students. I am certain there are students among us today who are future Queens Trustees and scholarship
donors, students who will go on to do important work and give generously in many communities throughout the world. You are laying that
foundation for them."
Go here to see photos from the event.
For more information on the 2011 Scholars Luncheon or on establishing or contributing to scholarships at Queens, contact Anna Drake,
Director of Donor Relations, at 7043372493 ordrakea@queens.edu.
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