John S. Clark Company, LLC Donates $5,000 for Scholarships at Surry Community College 

John S. Clark Company, LLC, one of the Triad’s oldest and largest general contractors and a leading design/build company in the Southeast, will donate $5,000 in academic scholarships to 10 students at Surry Community College in Dobson, as part of John S. Clark’s 50^th anniversary celebration this year.

To commemorate the occasion, officials from John S. Clark Company will present a check to Surry Community College Foundation officials at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26, inside the administrative building (Building H) on the Dobson campus.

John S. Clark Company’s scholarships will have a special significance to Surry County, which in past months has experienced plant closings and job losses: Five of the 10 students selected for scholarships will be chosen from among the “non-traditional student” category — adult students returning to school due to job loss or downsizing.

Besides Surry Community College, four other colleges in John S. Clark’s areas of operations will receive $5,000 scholarships. Those schools are Forsyth Technical Community College, Guilford Technical Community College, Brunswick Community College; and Cape Fear Community College.

“With the successes that John S. Clark has enjoyed over the decades, we are fortunate to be in a position to help one of our most valuable assets, our community-college students,” said Richard Vaughn, John S. Clark’s chief executive officer. “The scholarship program represents a continuum in our history of support to the community resources that sustain us and enrich our lives. And it is equally satisfying that the scholarships will contribute to helping displaced workers in Surry County prepare for re-entry into the job market.”

The Financial-Aid Office at Surry Community College, as well as those of the other four colleges, will advertise for applicants, screen candidates and propose potential scholarship awardees to John. S. Clark for final selection.

Selection will be based on several criteria. As mentioned above, five of the candidates must be classified as “non-traditional” adult students returning to school. The other five candidates will be chosen from among “traditional” students, or those graduated from high school in Spring, 2008.

Candidates must also be full-time students majoring in a curriculum related to the construction industry; be residents of Surry County or an adjacent county; be able to demonstrate financial need, and, for 2008 high-school graduates, have a minimum high-school grade-point average of 3.0. Scholarships must be used for tuition, fees and books, with unused funds returned to the college.

“We appreciate the John S. Clark Company’s investment in the future of this region through scholarships to Surry Community College students,“ said Marion Venable, Executive Director of the Surry Community College Foundation.

Founded in 1958, the company has headquarters in Mount Airy and full-service offices in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Wilmington, N.C. Its broad expertise covers industrial, commercial, multi-family, retail, health sciences, technology and institutional construction. It also handles tenant upfits and building improvement projects.

The company, under the leadership of Richard Vaughn, its chief executive officer, bases its longevity on the quality of professional staff and its history of community support. John S. Clark focuses its efforts on internal resources such as training, technology, and being LEED certified. In addition, John S. Clark is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and is committed to sustainable design and construction.