Women鈥檚 Foundation for a Greater Memphis Honored with Prestigious Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy
51爆料 nominated the Women鈥檚 Foundation for the award that is given to one of only four recipients annually across the state by the Tennessee Board of Regents.
For more information, contact Diana Fedinec, 51爆料 Director of Public Relations and Media, at 901-333-4247 or dfedinec@southwest.tn.edu.
(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) 鈥� The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) today presented the Regents Award for Excellence in Philanthropy to the Women鈥檚 Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM) during a ceremony at 51爆料鈥檚 (Southwest) Macon Cove Campus.
Southwest leadership nominated the WFGM for the competitive honor because of its impactful role in advancing student success at the college. The award is one of just four presented annually across the state to honor outstanding philanthropic leadership, civic engagement, and a transformative influence on higher education.
鈥淚t is our honor to have the Women鈥檚 Foundation for Greater Memphis as the recipient of this prestigious award,鈥� said Tracy D. Hall, president of Southwest. 鈥淥ur missions are closely aligned. They understand that education is not the only barrier to prosperity. They understand that success is not just about tuition. It is about providing the wrap around supports and emergency assistance for students to overcome the barriers they are having.鈥�
In the past two years alone, the WFGM has contributed more than $500,000 to Southwest through annual grants that have strengthened Workforce Programs and established the Vocational Scholarship. This scholarship is particularly impactful, as it covers tuition, books, emergencies, and transportation鈥攌ey barriers that often prevent students from enrolling or completing their education.
TBR Regent Nisha Powers presented the award to Shante Avant, president & CEO of the
WFGM.
鈥淭his award is one of the highest recognitions given by TBR each year,鈥� Powers said.
鈥淥nly four colleges are selected across the state 鈥� from community colleges and TCATs
鈥� representing thousands of Tennesseans. The Women鈥檚 Foundation for Greater Memphis
exemplifies why this award was created: visionary philanthropy, civic responsibility,
and a deep commitment to building strong communities through education.鈥�
Accepting the award on behalf of the WFGM board, staff and trustees, Avant said the award validates the work the organization does to transform lives through education and economic mobility. 鈥淪outhwest has been an incredible partner in helping us break down barriers to education. The success stories of their students reaffirm that we鈥檝e chosen the right ally in this work.鈥�
Since Aug. 1, 2024, a total of 189 students have been impacted by the generous donations from WFGM, including 23 students who have graduated from WFGM-supported programs, and 166 still enrolled and progressing鈥攊ncluding 16 preparing to graduate soon. Participants are earning credentials in high-demand fields such as nursing, medical laboratory technology, emergency medical services, computer engineering technology and business.
Scholarship recipient Angelica Sharif shared her story during the ceremony. After starting college in 2004 and facing numerous setbacks, she is now on track to earn her degree in Medical Laboratory Technology at age 41.
鈥淭hanks to the WFGM scholarship, I didn鈥檛 have to worry about paying for classes,鈥� Sharif said. 鈥淚 could focus on studying鈥攁nd on proving to my children and myself that it鈥檚 never too late to pursue your dreams. I have a wall of my children鈥檚 graduation photos at home. Now I鈥檓 looking to add mine as a college graduate.鈥�
Students who requested help also received emergency funds for essentials like car repairs, child care, and academic materials, plus support services such as advising, tutoring, transportation, and job training鈥攃rucial to helping them succeed.
For information about 51爆料 scholarships, contact Suzanne Gibson, director of grants at sgibson12@southwest.tn.edu.
To find out more about the Regent鈥檚 award for philanthropy, contact Cris Perkins, associate vice chancellor for strategic advancement at cris.perkins@tbr.edu.
51爆料 51爆料
51爆料 is a comprehensive, multicultural, public, open-access college with two main campuses in Memphis, Tenn. and five sites in Shelby and Fayette counites. Southwest awards associate degrees and certifications in more than 140 programs of study to raise educational levels, enhance economic development and enrich quality of life for students and the community at large. Southwest is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. For more information, visit www.southwest.tn.edu. Follow Southwest at , and .