Sloans endow merit scholarships, with $2 million commitment

Posted on October 09, 2020

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“This scholarship means so much to me,” said Raven Sizemore. “It’s the difference between going to UNCG or not going at all.”

Raven, a first-year UNCG undergraduate from Randleman, North Carolina, is the inaugural recipient of the Sloan Endowed Scholarship. The new scholarship program at UNCG provides full support for students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and financial need.

“What this scholarship will do is let me graduate from UNCG without any significant debt,” Raven said. “When I was looking at schools I came here and met Professor Randy Kohlenberg, and he was so welcoming and seemed to really understand my interests. I felt a connection right away and knew this was the place for me. Now, with this scholarship, I’ll be able to pursue my dream of a degree in music, and then go on to get a master’s degree so I can become a music teacher.”

Raven Sizemore, inaugural recipient of the Sloan Endowed Scholarship

Endowed by Linda Fisher Sloan ’82 MFA and Thomas R. Sloan (in visual above), the $2 million commitment will eventually sustain two Sloan Scholars per class for study at the University.

The Sloan Scholarships will cover tuition and all the costs of attendance at UNCG for these students, as well as provide support for high-impact opportunities such as a study-abroad experience, service learning, or internships. Students receiving the scholarship are free to pursue any field of study offered at UNCG.

The Sloan Scholarships are part of UNCG’s Minerva Scholars program and are administered through the University’s Lloyd International Honors College.

“Linda and I feel very fortunate to be able to make this scholarship gift,” said Tom Sloan. “It is recipients like Raven who have the potential to make an impact in this life. We are honored to be a part of encouraging her success.”

The Sloans are longtime supporters of UNCG. In addition to the many awards they have received for their work in the community, they recently received the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Triad Chapter. Linda Sloan is a current UNCG Board of Trustees member, a member of UNCG’s College of Visual and Performing Arts Board of Visitors, and a former adjunct lecturer in the Bryan School of Business and Economics. Tom Sloan served as a member of UNCG’s Board of Trustees for nine years, including a stint as its chair, and has served on the University Investment Fund Board.

For Raven, the first semester as a Spartan is thrilling.

“I have worked so hard to get here,” she said. “I am so excited now to pursue this dream, and so grateful this scholarship gives me that opportunity. It has made all the difference for me.”

By David Pesci
Photography by Martin W. Kane

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